Rebuilding
by One More Time
Summary: After an invasion from Itachi, Konoha is left in shambles. Sasuke and Naruto are both severely injured and Tsunade orders Hinata to check the old Uchiha District for anything left behind. What she finds will cause a shock wave of events that make two different people come together. SasuHina
1. Chapter 1

Note: Hello! Thank you so much for your interest. This is the first chapter of Rebuilding. It is a Sasuke/Hinata fic, but I do have a few things to say before you start:

1. There is some bad language. Sorry -_o

2. It might be a little slow to start off with. I'm trying to keep Sasuke in-character but he'll always be OOC in a SasuHina fic because they've never interacted in the manga/anime series.

3. To keep things manageable, I'm not incorporating a lot of Orochimaru or Sasuke's curse mark. It would get too complicated. So the fic will explain a little more on that later.

4. I'm about 80 episodes in to Shippuden so I'm aware that the things happening now might go against the fic. Just go along with it :D

5. I don't own Naruto.

* * *

The screech of the Chidori filled the air. It mixed with the electricity of the Ras-Shuriken. Sasuke felt blood on his hands as his surroundings exploded into black-ness.

"Sasuke."

His name echoed and he tried to find his footing. There was nothing to support his weight. There was no light. There was only darkness and the familiar voice saying his name over and over again. Sasuke struggled in desperation to find something-anything- to hold on to. The pain was unbearable.

"Sasuke."

He tried to figure out what was going on, but his mind was over loaded. What had happened? Where was he before the darkness? Thoughts in his head raced until he could put the puzzle pieces together… He was eye to eye with his brother. Sasuke was finally getting his revenge. He was finally doing what he set his whole life out to do.

"Sasuke."

_Everything I worked for is gone. Every minute spent getting strong enough was a waste_. Sasuke wished the pain would stop. It felt like he was being pulled limb by limb. Is this what it was to die? He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or closed; if he was falling or floating; if he was alive or dead. It was as if he was stuck somewhere in between heaven and hell with nothing to go off of. This was nothing that he had ever felt.

"Sasuke. Can you hear me?" The voice was getting closer. Suddenly he felt something soft below him. _A bed._ The pain went from sharp to dull. Sasuke was starting to get the feeling back in his body and he was suddenly aware of his eyelids. He attempted to open them to see who was calling his name.

"Well, he's a fighter all right. I'm surprised he's not dead." The voice was blunt. He felt a groan muster out of his throat and it burned. Everything burned- His skin, his bones and especially his eyes. Sasuke had been through his fair share of broken bones, lacerations and overall pain. This topped it.

"Sasuke-kun!" There was another voice. He was able to slowly open his left eyelid but the light was unbearable. It shot severe pain into his eyes and all the way down his spine.

"Sasuke, don't open your eyes!" The voice was harsh and it was a female's. If he was capable of frowning then he would have. His memories were starting to stitch back together and he put the voice to a face. It was none other than the fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

"You're alive and in the care of the top medical ninjas of Konoha." Her voice was monotone and for a moment he wondered if he was also in captivity. Sasuke wasn't exactly in good terms with Konoha. "You've been in a coma for the past 2 weeks."

"Sasuke-kun..." The second voice wavered and he felt something squeeze his hand gently. It was Sakura. The only thing he could do was swallow and try to say something. But what was there to say?

"Itachi?" He finally croaked. There was silence aside from the hum of the machines in the room.

"He's dead," Tsunade said flatly after a glace to Sakura. She crossed her arms and walked over to the window to shut the shades. Sasuke wasn't sure what to feel: Happy? Fulfilled? Satisfied? He felt like shit and he wasn't sure if it was because his body was on fire or because the realization of his brother's death finally sunk in.

"We'll talk more later on. Get some rest, Sasuke." Tsunade said, the sound of her heels filling the room. "And welcome back." He heard the door open and shut. The grip on his hand tightened.

"Sasuke-kun... I-" Sakura started to mumble as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Leave." Sasuke managed to say, his voice hoarse. He heard her gasp and could only picture the tears falling freely now. Sasuke scowled to himself. He didn't feel an ounce of pity or remorse for her. The door slid open and a man's voice followed.

"Sakura-san, we need you in room 213 stat."

"I'll be there." Her voice was full of poison with that statement. After all the years of searching for him, fighting for him, sticking up for him, and trying to help him... Sasuke would still push her away. He felt the warmth from his hand leave, and her footsteps disappeared behind the door. It didn't take long for him to fall back into a deep sleep.

Konoha was in ruins. Buildings had been completely leveled. The faces of the Hokage's on the mountain were unrecognizable. But there was hope as repairs had already begun.

"Shizune!" Tsunade's voice boomed in what was left of her office.

"Yes ma'am!" Shizune squeaked and stepped over a pile of papers.

"What's the update?" She said while she watched the people of Konoha from what used to be her window. The breeze blew back her blonde hair while honey eyes narrowed.

"Hai! Just under a third of the village has been damaged, if not completely destroyed." Shizune said as she shuffled through several papers. "Of course you're aware the hospital is in immediate repairs, as is many of the civilian districts."

"What have we lost completely?" Tsunade asked and closed her eyes.

"Well, the total losses around Konoha include the market streets, the

academy and the remainder of the Uchiha district."

"Ch..." Tsunade scowled under her breath and opened her eyes. The villagers were frantically working day and night to restore their homes, businesses and way of life. She was proud of Konoha. Not only were her ninja strong, but so were her townspeople.

"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune set down a pile of papers. "How is Naruto-kun?"

"He's not awake yet." The Fifth Hokage turned around and plopped down at her desk. Papers were finally beginning to get re-filed and things looked hopeful. Shizune looked down at her feet and sighed.

"He's stable," Tsunade continued before folding her hands. "Now it's just a waiting game." She leaned back in her chair and furrowed her brows. The Uchiha district was the least of her concerns, but knowing that Sasuke was back in Konoha made her worry. It was worth at least picking through and seeing what was left. The Academy was further down on the list to get repaired, unfortunately. The hospital and people's homes were top priority.

"Shizune, I know it might be too soon, but I need you to call Team Kurenai to my office immediately."

* * *

The sun was warm but it was also a nuisance as it shined through the windows. Hinata shielded her eyes as she carried old scrolls and important documents into a storage room at the Hyuuga mansion. Her long dark blue hair tickled the backs of her arms as she set the box down in a corner. At the age of 17, Hinata had grown not just physically but mentally. She raised her arm up to wipe the sweat from her forehead. It had been an emotionally charged few weeks in Konoha. It would be a long time until things were normal again.

Her lavender eyes peeked out the window to watch the repairs on the mansion. It was true, they had gotten lucky and there was minimal damage to clan's district. But Hinata knew that other parts of Konoha were much worse; some even non-existent now. She gazed in the direction of the hospital. Naruto came to mind and she closed her eyes to keep from becoming emotional. Hinata felt so helpless. She couldn't help him then and she couldn't help him now no matter what she did.

"Oy, Hinata!" A voice echoed down the hallway, and she turned from the window. She walked out of the room to see Kiba and Shino looking rather urgent.

"A-Ahh. Kiba-kun...Shino-kun..." She offered them a small smile while she brushed dust from her shirt.

"The Hokage has summoned us." Shino said, his eyes hidden behind the shades. _Tsunade-sama? What could she possibly want with Konoha in ruins?_

"Mm. What the hell does she want us to do? Orochimaru is dead, Sasuke is back in Konoha, and Akatsuki is gone." Kiba said as he began to walk towards the entrance to the mansion. "I say case closed!" Hinata pulled on her shoes before she followed them outside with her jacket in hand.

"Akamaru! Get outta there!"

The dog trotted away from a hole in the yard of the mansion and whined slightly when Kiba flicked his nose. Hinata smiled brightly and slipped on her jacket. Her team always knew how to cheer her up and she was grateful for it. Shino and Kiba felt like her brothers more than her team mates. Akamaru greeted her with his usual "woof" and she scratched behind his ears. Her thoughts began to run wild in her head as they walked through what was left of the streets. What DID Tsunade-sama want? She hoped they didn't have a mission, because she wanted to stay as close to Naruto as she could.

Hinata visited Naruto every day and she helped Sakura replace his bandages from time to time. His condition was always the same: unresponsive but stable. Visions of Sasuke and Naruto colliding played in her mind. Their conditions were similar. Combining the Chidori and the Ras-Shuriken (which Naruto was forbidden to use anyway) ended up causing an explosion big enough to take out almost a whole street of shops. Hinata's eyes moved toward Kiba as he walked alongside Akamaru.

"How is your arm, Kiba-kun?" She asked and her eyes fixed on his right arm in a sling. He looked back at her with a grin.

"Still a bit painful, but…" His voice trailed off. "Sakura says it should be okay to start training in another week or so which can't come soon enough! Right, Akamaru!?"

Hinata remembered it clearly when Itachi invaded Konoha his eyes set on nabbing Naruto and the nine-tailed fox spirit inside him. That fight ultimately led to the destruction around the village…and Itachi's own death. It was a strange thing—Itachi was after Naruto, Sasuke was after Itachi and Naruto was after Sasuke. That led to a confusing match while the ninja of Konoha tried to contain it the best they could. Many were injured, some were killed, and a few were still missing in action. Hinata knew that being a ninja was dangerous and she knew that people were going to die. However it never really hit her until the third Hokage's funeral. She started to accept it at Asuma-sensei's funeral. And now Hinata lived it as a Chuunin. She was just thankful her team survived.

They arrived at the door to the Hokage's office and Hinata scurried out of the way of a repairman. Things really were progressing around the village and she silently hoped that it didn't mean it was time for missions. Shino knocked on it gently.

"Enter!" The door was stuck due to the structural damage so Shino had to use force to get into the office. Tsunade exhaled when they piled in.

"Just one more thing for them to fix around here," She said, leaning forward with her hands folded. "Team Kurenai!" They stood at attention and awaited their orders.

"Hai!" They said in unison.

"As you know, the village is being repaired. There are no current missions in the books for the next few weeks so this really isn't an official mission. It's more as a personal request." Tsunade observed the ninja before her. Hyuuga Hinata stood confidently, but her eyes were placed on the hospital in the distance. Inuzuka Kiba had scratches that were in the process of healing and his arm was placed in a sling. Aburame Shino was expressionless. Tsunade frowned and continued.

"Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino… You have been summoned due to your scouting skills. Each one of you will go to different districts in Konoha that have been leveled and see what you can find: important documents, tools or anything that is of use."

Hinata's stomach did a flop in relief knowing that they would be staying within Konoha. Now she would still be able to help tend to Naruto and hopefully he would awaken soon. However, she wasn't sure why the Hokage wanted them to dig through rubble. Her thoughts were interrupted as more instructions were given.

"Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino, you are assigned to the academy. Be on the lookout for important files, documents and anything that would need saving before we have repair crews begin to discard concrete." Tsunade glanced at the two boys before her. "Work together as Kiba's injury will require more teamwork than usual."

"Yes ma'am." They said together. Tsunade's eyes fixed on Hinata.

"Hyuuga Hinata. You are to go to the Uchiha district and make sure that no important artifacts were left behind. Whatever you find, report to me immediately."

"Y-Yes ma'am," Hinata said confused. _The Uchiha district? Why? Were they going to be rebuilt, too?_

"You're dismissed." Tsunade said without revealing anything more.

Final note: Thanks for reading! I already have Chapter Two finished, and am starting on Chapter Three.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thanks for the favs, follows and reviews. They honestly fuel my motivation :D Hope you enjoy Chapter 2

* * *

Sasuke could hear the shuffling of shoes next to his bed and he knew the presence. Sakura was checking the machines hooked up to him, and the sound of scribbles on a clip board could be heard as well. He kept his eyes shut and pretended he was asleep. Even though Sasuke was now able to open his eyes without the pain, he didn't want to deal with her at all. He didn't want to deal with emotions, with tears, with _anything. _The door slid open and then closed, and he opened his eyes slowly. She was gone. The room was dark so he tried to sit up to get a better view of his surroundings. His muscles ached and there was a throbbing pain in his leg but otherwise he felt better than when he had first woken up. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Sasuke looked down at himself. Both of his arms were covered in bandages, and he could feel some wrapped around his right leg as well. He also felt the sting of an IV in his arm. Sasuke exhaled before leaning back into his pillow again.

His mind was racing. He was trying to pinpoint what exactly happened and what all he remembered from two weeks prior. Memories came rushing back and his eyebrows furrowed. He remembered following Itachi into Konoha. He remembered the fire set to the buildings. He remembered Naruto. He remembered Itachi. He remembered blood. It was all very fuzzy to him, and it was frustrating. He weakly lifted his arm to look at his hand. It was wrapped in gauze and bandages. _I should have died along with him. _

"Oh, you're up." Tsunade said with a smirk across her lips. She shut the door behind her and walked towards the blinds that were closed. "Shield your eyes, Uchiha." Sasuke growled as light burst into the room. He rubbed his eyelids before slowly testing them to see what pain it would bring. It was bearable.

"How are you feeling?" Tsunade asked, grabbing the clipboard at the end of his bed. She glanced down and flipped a few papers, then looked back at him. Sasuke ignored her. This irritated her.

"Do you know what happened? I don't think you understand the predicament you and this village are in." She snapped and slammed down his clipboard on the table next to his bed. Sasuke didn't even flinch. He just stared daggers at her.

"When can I leave?" He asked. Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"How can I know that when you won't tell me how you feel?" The Fifth Hokage scared many, but not Sasuke- the pupil of Orochimaru. Of course the only things that scared Tsunade were blood and the fear of losing loved ones.

"I feel like shit." He smirked at her. His eyes kept a close watch on her. This time she ignored his smart ass response.

"Sasuke, you destroyed my village all for your own personal gain." Tsunade sat in the chair next to his bed and eyed him. "I understand why you did. But now I am left with a third of my village in shambles, many who are left dead and homeless, and at least 13 missing ninja."

"If you're going to lecture me, you can leave." Sasuke spat. He didn't care if she was the Fifth Hokage, and he didn't care about her precious Konoha. Tsunade felt little flames of anger explode in her eyes, but this was to be expected. She knew he didn't care.

"Not only that, but Naruto is still in a coma." She said and hoped that it would tear at his heart strings. It didn't.

"He should have minded his own business." Sasuke said flatly, trying to remember the timeline of events.

"No, he was trying to save you." She said quietly. "Sasuke, you both hit Itachi at full force with the Chidori and the Ras-Shuriken."

"Yeah. I did what I set out to do. I got my revenge." She frowned at him and hesitated.

"Not exactly," Tsunade said. "We did an autopsy. While your Chidori did heavy damage... it was the Ras-Shuirken that ultimately killed him." She watched him for a moment not too sure what to expect. Sasuke stared at her and wondered if she was lying. She didn't bat an eyelash. He began to feel hot and like he was going to throw up. _Naruto…killed…Itachi? _Suddenly Sasuke lurched up and ripped out the wires that were hooked up to him. Enraged, he tried to get out of the bed but his legs were wobbly and could barely support his weight. This just fueled the anger. His Sharingan activated and he looked wildly at Tsunade.

"Where is he!?"

"Sasuke!" Tsunade shouted, and before he knew it, she pushed him back on the bed. She leaned over him with a hand holding him down on his chest firmly. He began yelling and trying to push her off him but in his weak state it wasn't working- especially against one of the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire.

"I don't think you fucking understand! Revenge is all I lived for! That bastard took everything away from me! It was MY FIGHT!" He screamed at her. Everything was turning red in his eyes as the thoughts of Naruto killing his brother circled in his brain. The one thing he wanted to do in life had been taken away from him. _Everything_ was always taken away from him- his parents, his clan and now the opportunity for revenge. The door slid open as a few medical ninja, including Sakura, burst in.

"I need him sedated, NOW!" Tsunade ordered sharply, as a medical ninja fumbled with a vile and needle. Sakura went to end of the bed and tried to hold Sasuke's ankles down as he struggled. The medical ninja finally managed to get the needle injected into Sasuke's arm. Sasuke didn't care though, or perhaps he just didn't notice. There was only one thing he was looking at, and it was Tsunade's eyes. He wanted to see a glimmer of hope that what she told him was a lie, but there was nothing. Sasuke continued yelling and struggling against Tsunade. He wanted to get _out _of that hospital room. He wanted to kill Naruto. _How DARE he!?_ Tsunade's eyes were wide as she put more force on his chest to keep him from getting up. Eventually, Sasuke's body started to feel weak as the medicine slowly worked through his system. Tsunade's face was getting blurry, and everyone's frantic voices began to sound very far away. And then he was asleep. The medical ninja all breathed a sigh of relief, as did Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama… are you okay!?" Sakura asked as she ran to turn off the beeping machines. Tsunade looked over at her and nodded as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. _Well…that was interesting._

"He needed to know." She said as she brushed her clothes. Sakura picked up the clip board off the floor and hugged it close to her chest. She looked over to Sasuke who was now in a peaceful slumber. Her heart ached for him. _Sasuke-kun..._

"This soon, though?"

"Better now than later."

* * *

Hinata felt the breeze blow back her long hair as she stepped over piles of rubble. The Uchiha district (or whatever was left of it) was ahead of her. As she got closer, the words of Tsunade echoed in her mind. _Whatever you find, report to me immediately._ But what was Hinata even looking for? Did Konoha really just leave the Uchiha district as it was from the massacre? Her father would rarely speak of it, but she overheard a hushed conversation between the elders of the clan discussing it long ago. The Third was in talks of having the district destroyed after they gathered all the evidence needed, but the plan never followed through. Hinata reached the crumbled gate, and she could see the faded Uchiha emblem. She took a deep breath and followed the path ahead. It felt eerie walking through the once thriving community. Roofs were now caved in, houses had fallen, and even the once sturdy Police Headquarters was in shambles from the recent invasion of Itachi.

The Hyuuga and Uchiha Clans were never really on the same page. The Hyuuga clan was more traditional while the Uchiha's kept trying to bring new and innovative things to the village. On more than one occasion, the Third Hokage had to break up heated discussions at village meetings between the two clans. Hinata thought back to the day she found out about the massacre and it sent a shiver down her spine. The Hyuugas always had tragedy in their family, but nothing close to a whole district being taken out by one man. The wind howled through old buildings and it made her wish that Kiba or Shino was with her. Not that she believed in ghosts, however being in an area where murder had happened made her uncomfortable. But she was a ninja and would follow the orders she was given.

"I don't even know where to begin," She said to herself and looked around. Anywhere is a good start though. Hinata brought her hands up to activate her Byakugan just to get a good look of the whole district. There wasn't a single trace of another person. It was certainly unsettling. She surveyed a building in front of her, searching for anything that might be of some importance. But there wasn't much around except for concrete and wood. A crow squawked overhead as it swooped down to settle on a crumbling foundation of a building. Suddenly, something caught her attention in the distance. It was… a chakra presence. She would have missed it if she was being careless. Hinata furrowed her eyebrows and concentrated harder. It was a very small presence, definitely not a human though. But there was _something_ lying in the rubble. She followed it about a half a mile to an old worn down building, with its roof caved in. It looked like it might have been someone's house, but someone of importance. Hinata climbed over rubble until she reached the middle of the front room to the house. The source of the chakra was right underneath a bunch of rubble. She took a deep breath and started to move cinder-blocks, and large wooden beams, but she found it was quite difficult. She didn't have the strength like Sakura or the endurance of Kiba to move heavy objects. Hinata gathered chakra in her hands to form the Gentle Fist, and she blasted away the debris. The chakra presence was still below the rubble but she was getting closer.

It took Hinata a good half an hour to get past all the concrete chunks and wood splinters. She frowned when she realized she would have to start digging into the actual earth. _Someone buried something here… it isn't just underneath the rubble._ There was a small sheet of metal a few feet away that she figured would make a good enough shovel to start with. And from there, she began to dig. The chakra was glowing brighter and brighter underneath her and her curiosity was growing. She deactivated her Byakugan and used her fingers to start moving loose dirt. Suddenly she felt something hard hit the tips of her fingers, and slowly started to unearth the top of a wooden box. Hinata squinted and wiped sweat beads that were rolling down her temples. _Is that...an Uchiha symbol on it?_ Indeed it was.

"What…is this?" She murmured to herself. Her fingers were beginning to get raw and chunks of dirt were shoved up her fingernails, but she eventually was able to grab the box and pry it loose from the earth. _How can a box emit chakra?_ It certainly looked old. It was as big as a mailbox and when she shook it, there were things moving around inside. On the top lid was the very faded Uchiha symbol, and it was smooth to the touch. Hinata bit her lower lip and wondered if she should open it or just hand it over to Tsunade. She examined the latch on the front. Normally it wasn't any of her business to go through anyone else's things, especially when this is probably something important. But the chakra it emitted was something to be on alert about.

"Hmmm…" Hinata thought to herself, but her curiosity was getting the best of her. Her fingers released the latch, and she opened the box to find several scrolls inside. There was also a necklace with the Uchiha pendant attached, along with a few photos of people she didn't recognize. The breeze blew back her bangs and it felt good. Hinata had been digging for what seemed like an eternity and her arms were exhausted. The box was certainly a mystery and a good find. She looked up to make sure no one was watching her. Of course no one was around, though.

The Uchiha district was forbidden to anyone around, even in shambles. Not that anyone would want to come by anyway. Hinata looked back down at the scrolls. They had some kind of seal on them that she didn't recognize. The ink was really faded and she squinted to read what the name said. _Uchiha Sasuke._ Suddenly she felt like she had opened someone's personal things and felt embarrassed. Hinata closed the box, and got up. Another quick sweep of the Byakugan revealed nothing out of the ordinary. She then spent the next hour or so digging through more rubble before she decided there was nothing else left behind.

On her way out of the district, Hinata held the box close to her. The decision to hand it over to the Hokage weighed on her mind. There was a good chance that those scrolls were left for Sasuke, and Tsunade might keep them from him for his own good. Who knows who left them and what the sealed scrolls said. Hinata wondered if he was still in his coma like Naruto was. Should she just hand them over to him? But knowing Tsunade, she would be furious if it was kept from her. There was no reason to keep secrets so she trudged on to go see the Fifth Hokage.

* * *

"Sasuke."

_There's that voice again. But where is it coming from? … Mother? _

"Sasuke."

_Father? Where are you!? I'm sorry... I failed you again. I wasn't able to avenge you or anyone. _

"Sasuke-kun, are you awake?"

"…Nnn." Sasuke's eyelids were heavy to open, but he managed it when he heard Sakura's voice. _What the hell did she want?_ He saw her sitting next to him replacing the bandages on his arm. He watched her and felt very groggy. She smiled softly as she tied off the ends of the bandages.

"You're healing up just fine, Sasuke-kun. I persuaded Tsunade-sama not to put any restraints on you from earlier."

"Nn." Sasuke closed his eyes again, remembering the events that had unfolded earlier. He decided he needed more sleep… to forget he was here, to forget what had happened, and to forget what Tsunade had told him.

"It's a miracle you're alive." She continued and he groaned inside. _Woman, will you just shut up?_ He ignored her but she kept talking anyway as if it was more for her conscious to say these things than for him to hear.

"Naruto is still in a coma. He suffered severe wounds, and was caught in Itachi's Tsukuyomi. He is healing but… he just won't wake up." Her voice cracked as she kept back tears. Sasuke's eyes remained closed while he tried to force out thoughts of his old team mate. _Shut up._

"I'm just so worried about him… and about you. Kakashi-sensei has been in to visit you both." _Shut up._

"But now you're back and when Naruto wakes up, we'll be a team agai-"

"Shut up!" Sasuke growled with his eyes still closed. She was silent as a tear rolled down her cheek. It was quiet for a few moments while she finished with the rest of his bandages.

"Sasuke-kun, why don't you let anybody care about you?" She asked softly. He scoffed at her.

"It's because I don't _need_ anybody to care about me. Besides… there's nothing left for me anywhere, anyway." The words left his mouth bitterly. There really was nothing left for him. His whole goal was to kill his brother and even then he couldn't do it. His chance was gone. What was he supposed to do now? Sakura didn't say anything more. She simply stood up and left. There was nothing but anger pumping through his veins. He wanted to get out of this hospital and out of this god forsaken village. Nothing good ever came from here; Not him, not his team mates, and certainly not Orochimaru. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He glared at it. It wasn't Sakura or Tsunade because they barged in whenever. Either way, Sasuke decided not to answer the knock. He closed his eyes again and pretended to sleep.

Hinata frowned when she didn't hear a "Come in". Sakura mentioned Sasuke was awake now, although she did warn about his incident earlier. She looked down at the box in her arms and frowned. Maybe she could just leave it for him when he woke up. Hinata opened the door and peered in. _He's sleeping... _She walked in the room with the box held tightly to her chest, and then she sat down on the chair next to his bed. He looked like hell. His hair was a mess; his arms and one of his hands were covered in bandages. But he looked somewhat peaceful. She let the box rest on her legs and watched him for a moment. Back when they were children at the academy, she remembered every girl in her class admiring him from afar. They would whisper excitedly amongst themselves when he would walk by. And as they grew older those admirations became crushes and young love even though Sasuke wanted nothing to do with them, which was why Hinata never understood the ruckus about him. Uchiha Sasuke was distant, cold, and difficult to be around. He was the complete opposite of Naruto, and yet her lavender eyes couldn't stop staring at him. It wasn't his good looks that attracted her to him; it was his sorrow of losing _everything_.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked without opening his eyes. Hinata felt her cheeks get hot because it seemed like he caught her staring.

"O-Oh… you're awake." She said softly. Sasuke peeked out from behind his eyelids at her. At first he had no idea who he was talking to. And even after looking at her for a moment he still wasn't sure.

"Who are you?" He asked irritably. Hinata cringed at the fact that he had no idea who she was, and she looked down at the box in her lap.

"Hyuuga Hinata… u-um."

"Hyuuga…" He said. The name was familiar to him. _Oh. She was related to the rookie, Neji_. _Well he's probably not a rookie anymore. _Sasuke vaguely remembered her in their academy days. She looked…different. Her hair was longer and her eyes were more confident.

"Um…" Her cheeks felt warmer as he stared at her. She felt like she was under a microscope. It serves her right for staring earlier, she thought. "I was told to search the Uchiha district." Sasuke felt a sense of jealousy and disgust for a moment. For some reason, he felt _violated_. Not for himself but for his family and clan. Who had the right to go through what didn't belong to them?

"Who gave you permission to do that?"

"W-Well T-Tsunada-sama gave m-me direct orders." She stumbled on her words seeing that he was getting angry. He laughed bitterly.

"And!?" He cried; his anger was about to overflow. How DARE that Hokage-bitch give orders to go to his district? How _dare_ she? Hinata was beginning to think of Sakura's warning about his temper. All she could do was hold the box out to him. Just before he could say anything else, he looked at it. Suddenly he was curious.

"… What is this?" Sasuke asked feeling his anger subside. Hinata got up to get closer and she put the box on his lap. His eyes shot her a glare all the while and then they settled on the emblem on top of the box. For a while, Sasuke just stared at it. Hinata wasn't sure what to do so she sat back down on the chair.

"It had a chakra presence. I found it while I had my Byakugan activated." Hinata said after a few moments. She looked at him and noticed his facial features had softened. Sasuke unlatched the box and slowly opened it. He saw the scrolls first, and picked one up. _This seal… _He looked at her for a moment and decided he'd read them when he had more privacy. Sasuke then picked up the necklace and ran his thumb over the pendant. It looked old and worn. _Is this really all that's left? Is this all I have to hold onto?_ Sasuke put the necklace back in the box and shut it. He then put the box on the table next to his bed. Hinata blinked at him as he settled back into his pillow.

"Is that all?" Sasuke asked dully. She bit her lower lip and stared at her hands.

"Y-Yes." The conversation was over when he rolled over and had his back to her.

* * *

Thank you! Feel free to review to let me know if I'm doing an okay job. Chapter 3 will be up eventually.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the follows and reviews. So far so good. Some people were confused when Hinata seemed to disobey Tsunade's orders. But you'll see later. One thing I've been dying to mention is I cannot stand Sasuke. He's so depressing, rude and selfish. u_u But he's fun to write and I think the reason I love SasuHina is because their relationship would be a huge challenge. And I looove a challenge. :D Besides, I'm a hipster when it comes to relationships ;P

Enjoy Chapter 3!

* * *

It had been a week since Hinata had brought Sasuke the box of scrolls and trinkets from the old Uchiha District. It had been untouched since then, and hidden away under his bed. He really wasn't sure what to think of the box, who had left it for him or why it emitted chakra. It only reminded him that he had failed his clan. Ignoring it suited him just fine for now. The days began to trudge on at the Konoha hospital and Sasuke's condition improved enough for him to use a crutch to get up and walk around. His legs hadn't been used in a month so it felt wobbly the first few times. The first time Sasuke attempted to use the crutch, he fell flat on his face. Sakura was there to help him up, but he refused her help. It was agonizing and embarrassing to go from Konoha's worst nightmare to a baby deer taking its first steps. Needless to say it was a slow process that he finally mastered on his own. According to Tsunade, when Sasuke landed from the blast of the Chidori and Ras-Shuriken, his leg pierced through a broken pipe from a building. The image was enough to make Tsunade's stomach feel sick.

"Why can't you just heal my leg?" He demanded to her one day. She rolled her eyes at him while she changed the bandage on it. It was healing on its own just as it was supposed to and that made her happy.

"Not everything can be that easy, Uchiha. We can only heal so much and then it's up to your muscles and tissue to do the rest of the work." Sasuke remembered scowling at her. Even though he didn't show it, he got a kick out of the visits from the Fifth Hokage. Irritating her was great fun for him and it was something to keep him occupied. There was little to do while he was in the hospital and Sasuke had had enough of resting.

"Why don't you visit Naruto?" Tsunade asked him curiously and looked through his medical sheets. She didn't think he was a danger to Naruto anymore seeing his haste to just get out of the hospital was more of a priority for him. Sasuke stared hard at her like she had just slapped him. _Why? He ruined everything. He stuck his nose in my business and well here we are… _Tsunade noted his silence as a 'no' and she set down his clip board. The Uchiha was really something—surviving the blast, healing within a month, and not causing any trouble. _Yet…_

"Well if you ever stop being a brat, then his room is just down the hall from yours… room 118." She said while opening the door to leave. There was no response from him, so he was left to himself. Sasuke leaned back against his pillow and ran a hand through his hair. He just wanted to heal enough to be released from the hospital. Then he would leave and go somewhere far from here. He thought long and hard about where his next destination would take him, but he came up blank. This feeling of having nowhere to go was weighing heavily on his mind. Sasuke always had something to keep him going, to keep him training, and to keep him preoccupied. But now that 'something' was gone. Even Orochimaru was gone. After Kabuto betrayed him, and they battled to their deaths, the curse mark on Sasuke disappeared. Still, Sasuke had to fulfill his revenge with or without the power Orochimaru provided. And he still failed. This thought made his stomach churn with anger. Everything he did on his own…was a complete and utter failure. Sasuke took his pillow and buried his face in it. What will he do now?

Sasuke woke up hours later to darkness. He groggily rolled over and gazed at the clock on the wall. It was late, and the wind howled angrily outside his window. He laid there for several minutes before he decided to get up. Sasuke swung over his legs carefully and sat up on the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes and did a few leg exercises while sitting that Tsunade taught him to help keep his muscles from getting stiff. Then he grabbed the crutch and hobbled to the door. There wasn't a sound coming from the hallway; the nurses must be on the top levels. Sasuke silently slid open his door and, with the help of his crutch, he began to slowly make his way down the hallway until he reached room 118. He stood outside the room for a moment and could feel a new surge of anger pumping through his veins. _Itachi..._ Sasuke opened the door to Naruto's room and stared inside. He was able to make out Naruto's limp body on the bed, and the machines hooked up to him beeped in response to his breathing patterns.

Once inside, Sasuke shut the door quietly and limped over to his bed. Upon getting closer, Sasuke observed Naruto's face. He looked the same as ever: messy blonde hair, drool coming from his mouth, and those whisker marks on his cheeks. However bandages were wrapped around his forehead and down his neck. Seeing Naruto look so helpless struck a memory in Sasuke's brain about their first day as a team together. Then a thought of Itachi flashed in his mind and made him blind with anger. The bandages on his hand began to rip apart as Sasuke formed chakra into the Chidori. He hissed as it burned his raw skin. Electricity ripped through the room as he stared at the limp body.

"…You." He said to a non-responsive Naruto. Sasuke limped closer with the Chidori still formed in his hand. "You…ruined it. Why didn't you just let me go?!" Still there was no response. The thought of killing Naruto right there and then would have been easy...too easy. He cursed under his breath and the Chidori disappeared from his hand. Sasuke fell like a sack of potatoes into the chair next to the bed. He couldn't do it. Now, there was nothing but the beeps of the machines and the shallow breaths from Naruto. Sasuke expected him to open his eyes and flash his stupid grin. But he didn't. This made Sasuke angrier as he gritted his teeth. _He _was the victim here, not Naruto.

"You never understood what made me tick. You never understood why I did what I did. I left on my own free will to get my revenge. And now I can't because…" He stopped and lowered his forehead down on the bed. Sasuke was full of rage. _What did Naruto know!? He never had those bonds._ Sasuke felt as helpless as when he was a child while running away from his brother. Something important was taken from him and there was nothing he could about it. For a while Sasuke sat with his head down on the bed and listened to Naruto breathe. He thought for a very long time. He thought of his mother and the way she hummed while she made tea in the mornings. He thought of his father and how he would mutter under his breath while he read scrolls from work. He thought of his brother in happier days- when Itachi would sharpen his kunai knives and accidentally prick his fingers. Sasuke felt numb at that moment. There was only so much anger he could feel and he felt at his limit. His family flashed in his mind. _I failed as a ninja. I failed as a son. I failed as an Uchiha._

* * *

Hinata arrived at the Konoha hospital early that morning. She greeted the nurses at the front desk as she did every day.

"Good morning, Hinata-san!" They said in unison as they busied themselves with paperwork. She smiled and waved. There was a routine that she had every day: Wake up, do some light exercise, eat breakfast, visit Naruto at the hospital, and train. Missions were out of the question until Konoha became more stable, so that left a lot of free time for the ninja; which was fine for most since they were all in the process of rebuilding their homes or businesses.

Hinata's footsteps echoed down the hospital wing as she followed the familiar hallway to Naruto's room. She slid open the door and was slightly taken aback. Someone was already there but she couldn't figure out who it was. Hinata bit her lower lip and closed the door behind her. She approached the chair and looked down to see Uchiha Sasuke asleep with his head resting on the bed. It had been about a week since she had seen him and was surprised he was able to be up and moving around. At first she thought about just letting him sleep, but the angle couldn't be comfortable for him. She rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and nudged him gently.

"Sasuke-kun..."

"hmm..." Sasuke opened his eyes and lifted his head slowly. _Ugh my neck..._ He then looked at Hinata confusingly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked leaning back in the chair, still half asleep. _More importantly, why am I still here? _Hinata glanced over at Naruto and smiled softly.

"I-I visit Naruto-kun often." Sasuke stared at Naruto and frowned. He felt a sudden pang of jealously. Not because she specifically was visiting him but just the fact that he had someone who cared enough to do so. Hinata waited for a response or for him to get up and leave. When he didn't do either, she pulled up another chair to the bed and sat down. For a while, no one said anything. They just stared at Naruto. Sasuke moved his eyes to look at her. _She obviously thinks highly of this idiot._ Hinata felt awkward as they sat in silence. It took a minute for Sasuke to realize that Naruto's room was full of flowers, 'get well soon' cards, and packs of instant ramen. He furrowed his brows and rolled his eyes. _From a hated monster to the hometown hero..._

"S-So how are you feeling? I see you can walk now." Hinata broke the silence and offered him a smile. He rubbed the back of his stiff neck.

"I'll live."

"Oh. Well... I hope you get to leave soo-"

"Why do you waste your time here?" Sasuke asked accusingly. He was irritable and he couldn't pinpoint why. Maybe it was his neck or maybe it was because Naruto had all these gifts and people in his life. It really wasn't his business what she did, but it really bothered him that she would plan her day around this place, and around _him_. Hinata was thrown off by the sudden intrusion of his curiosity and she was silent for a moment. Her eyes gazed back at Naruto and a smile formed on her soft lips.

"Naruto-kun is...a strong person. I always wanted to be like him. E-Even without anyone believing in him as a child, he proved everyone wrong. He still continues to better himself and become an even greater ninja." She said softly. "I used to feel the same way."

"Ch." Sasuke was amused by this which made her cheeks get warm in anger. He knew that he was stronger than Naruto in almost every aspect. Growing up an Uchiha and being trained under Orochimaru's eye were obvious reasons. Hinata's little hands formed tight fists as they rested in her lap. The tone in her voice changed from sweet to dripping with anger.

"Y-You may be a stronger ninja on paper, but he has a stronger spirit." She blurted out as if she had read his thoughts. Sasuke felt his stomach churn and he glared at her. _What does she know?!_ Before he could fire back at her, the door slid open.

"Oh! Good morning, Hinata." Sakura entered the room with rolls of bandages in her arms. She was also surprised to see Sasuke sitting next to the bed as well. Hinata was grateful for the interruption and greeted Sakura.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan."

"Sasuke-kun, you should really be resting in bed. You aren't fully healed yet." He ignored her while he dug a knuckle into a newly formed knot in his neck. Sakura walked to the other side of Naruto's bed and set down the bandages.

"Hinata... could you help again?" She asked with an apologetic smile. Hinata nodded, and sat on the edge of the bed next to Naruto. She reached down to gently lift Naruto up in a sitting position and Sasuke observed this all the while. Naruto's chin rested on Hinata's shoulder and he could see her cheeks blush. Sakura carefully began to unravel the bandages around Naruto's head and neck. Sasuke watched the entire time with no expression on his face, but his mind was racing with thoughts. The way Hinata held Naruto close to her and the emotion in her eyes bewildered him. He never had the time for petty things like love or companionship because they made things complicated. They made people do things like _that_. Hinata didn't have any reason to visit Naruto- he was in a coma. He wasn't awake and there was no personal gain to it. It was a waste of time for her but she did it anyway. Sasuke shook his head.

"Alright... all done. His wounds are almost to the point where they don't need to be wrapped up anymore, but better to be safe than sorry." Sakura smiled and helped lay Naruto back down gently. Hinata frowned.

"He still isn't awake." She said softly. Sakura's smile faded and her eyes dulled. No one knew when he would wake up or if he ever would. Tsunade said it could take weeks or it could take months. His brain activity was normal and he was stable.

"...I know. Tsunade-sama says to be patient." She tried to sound confident to Hinata but even she wasn't sure. Hinata nodded. Sakura forced a smile.

"Cherish the peace and quiet because when Naruto wakes up, it'll be gone!" She looked at Hinata and hoped it raised her spirits a bit. "Well, I've got other rooms to get to. Don't forget to sign out, Hinata." Sakura said, grabbing her clip board and heading toward the door. Sasuke noticed she completely ignored him on her way out. It didn't bother him.

Hinata still sat on the edge of the bed and pretended to be interested in a scratch on her finger. Sasuke felt that pang of jealousy again so he decided to go back to his own room. Besides, his neck was killing him. He glanced over at his crutch. It was too far away from him to reach since he threw it down last night. He decided he would try to hobble over towards it because there was no way in hell he would ask her for help. It was a more difficult process than he thought since his good leg was still a bit shaky. Sasuke struggled to stand up, and felt himself losing his balance. Without thinking, Hinata grabbed his wrist and nudged herself under his arm. She hugged his waist for support and groaned inwardly. Hinata sometimes cursed her own kindness. Sasuke almost pushed her away on instinct.

"I don't _need_ your help." He seethed and struggled against her. Hinata felt her cheeks get warm, but she didn't want him to hurt himself.

"I-I know but..." Her soft voice trailed off. "Your muscles will tear again if you aren't careful." He cursed to himself while he took what she said into consideration. The last thing he needed was another week here because he was being reckless.

"Fine," Sasuke gave in, and let his arm rest on her shoulder. "Just...take me to my room." Hinata gulped and helped maneuver him out of Naruto's room. She regretted this decision, but the motherly instinct in her thought it was probably best. Kiba teased her constantly about being so modest, especially around Naruto. There were even times during training that she would get too close to Kiba and could feel his breath on her neck. It gave her goose bumps just thinking of it. Hormones were more of a big deal now as the ninja got older. Sometimes she wondered if it was more a nuisance than anything.

The walk down the hall was awkward and Sasuke ignored the looks of shock from the nurses who walked by. Instead, he was aware of the fact that Hinata was short enough that his chin could rest on the top of her head. Even her vanilla scent didn't even bother him... it was a refreshing change from the bleach smell in his sheets. This scenario would never have happened if it was Sakura because he knew her intentions. The Hyuuga girl was too innocent and he could tell she had little interest in him. It was certainly different considering she might be the only female in Konoha who wasn't standing in line for him.

"Um... is this your room?" She knew it was the right room but the awkward silence was making her feel uncomfortable.

"Mmhm." He said. Hinata gripped his waist tighter in order to maintain the support for Sasuke and still be able to open the door. Sasuke frowned seeing his bland room again. People had brought Naruto flowers and gifts for when he would awaken. Sasuke had nothing. It was a bitter taste in his mouth and he thought of slapping himself. Since when did he care about who visited him or what things he had? Hinata helped him over to his bed and was relieved to have that ordeal over with.

"Do you need anything else...?" She asked quietly. He rolled on his side with his back facing her again and didn't say anything. There was no 'thank you'. There was nothing. Hinata sighed and remembered earlier that this meant the conversation was over. She could tell he wasn't happy and who could blame him? No one was there to visit. He had no family. Uchiha Sasuke was a rogue ninja and enemy of Konoha for over three years. No one cared because he pushed them away. He subconsciously hated the consequences of this. Hinata could see the lonely child in him and she could relate to his sadness. She stood there for a moment before turning and leaving. Sasuke would die before he'd admit it, but he wished she would have stayed.

* * *

The next morning, Sasuke woke up and the usual pain in his leg was gone. The bandages on his arms were gone and he figured Sakura took them off while he was asleep. He rolled over on his back and something caught his eye. There was a vase of flowers on his nightstand.

"G-Good morning, Sasuke-kun." He looked over and saw Hinata sitting in the chair next to him. A frown settled on his lips and he wondered if she was watching him sleep. It made Sasuke self-conscious for a split second before he decided it irritated him.

"... The flowers stink." He simply said before closing his eyes again. She bit her lower lip and stared at her hands. Once again, she asked herself why she even bothered with Sasuke. But the thought of him having no one reminded her of the reason why.

"Oh... I-I'm sorry. Ino-chan said you might like them." Sasuke thought about the girl Ino who fought for his attention in the academy days. Girls like her were all the same- useless. It took a lot of effort for Sakura to impress him with her strength. The sun shined into the room and danced through the glass vase. The familiar silence between the two was back, and Hinata shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"What do you want?" Sasuke finally asked, glaring at her. Hinata tensed up for a moment. He was so...different and she wasn't used to it. She had never known anyone to be so harsh for no reason.

"A-Ah...I just noticed you never had any visitors. And it's on the way to Naruto-kun's room." Hinata said and forced a smile. If Sasuke could frown any more then he would. Why did this girl admire Naruto _so damn much_? Why did anyone? It was a strange feeling as the two boys had seemed to switch roles from when they were younger- Naruto got the praise and Sasuke was now a feared monster. He snorted at her and rolled on his side. _Conversation over._ She sat for a few moments longer before getting up.

"Good-bye, Sasuke-kun." There was no response. _He must have fallen asleep..._ Hinata walked to the door and left. But he wasn't asleep. Sasuke was staring at the flowers and the way the sun shine hit the petals. They didn't _really_ stink.

* * *

Sakura noticed the papers on Naruto's clip board becoming thicker. She glanced through them and wrote down his latest stats from the humming machines. Her eyes averted over to Naruto who lay peacefully on the bed. At first she simply called him an idiot for being so reckless, but as the weeks went by without him waking up she truly began to re-evaluate her thoughts. A sigh escaped her lips and she sat down on the chair next to the bed. Worry for her team had begun to show physically on her. Sakura's eyes had dark circles underneath them and she seemed thinner than usual. Her hand moved from her lap and rested on Naruto'.

"...Naruto." She whispered and she felt tears swell in her eyes again. Sakura simply couldn't help but cry. There was nothing she or anyone could do for him and it killed her. Her hand tightened around his as the tears spilled over the edges. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." She said quietly. All the medical training with Tsunade did benefit her, but not in the way she had hoped. Sakura always felt two steps behind Naruto and Sasuke no matter how hard she tried to keep up. She felt weak and once again a burden.

"S-Sakura-chan..." Her stomach dropped at those words and for a moment she wondered if she was dreaming. Her eyes widened as he stared up at her, a pained grin on his face. A sob forced its way out of her throat and she squeezed his hand harder.

"Naruto...!"

"Ahh... you're...hurting my hand." He grimaced. She laughed gently through her sobs. Sakura was so relieved, happy, and _mad_ that he had her worry.

"How are you feeling? Does anything else hurt?" He ignored these questions and kept a firm look on her.

"Sakura-chan... you're the reason I made it through." Naruto said quietly. "You already know this but... I think..." He didn't finish his sentence because she DID already know what he was going to say. Her eyes softened and her cheeks became pink. Her heart was surely confused. All the sleepless nights in worry over Sasuke didn't benefit her. Naruto had always been there even when she pushed him away. All she could do was cry. A loud bang outside the room startled them both. Sakura wiped her eyes and got up to investigate. She opened the door to the room to see Hinata passed out on the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello :) Chapter 4 is up now so yay! I'm always a chapter ahead with my writing, so the good news is you guys will probably get updates every other day just like I've been doing. SasuHina is so fun to write...although I'm a big NaruHina girl at heart. I'm getting caught up with Shippuden and I really am not liking Sakura right now -_o Anywhoooooooo, thank you for the follows, reviews and favorites. They truly make me feel happy! And when I'm happy, I write more.

* * *

Sasuke was done with being stuck and cooped up at the hospital. His leg was healing up just fine, even though he still relied on the crutch. And since Tsunade was dragging her feet on releasing him, he figured he would do it for her. It's not like it was the first time he left without permission. The day after Hinata helped him back to his room, he decided it was time to get the hell out of there and away from Naruto. In the very early morning hours, Sasuke got dressed in a hooded jacket and a pair of pants that he found in the closet in his room. The only belongings he had was the box that Hinata had found so there wasn't much to take with him. Everything in the box was still untouched from the first day he got it, and he didn't have time to waste here. Sasuke needed to get out _now_ and figure out his plan. With the crutch under his armpit and the box in his arm, Sasuke threw up the hood on his jacket and crept silently out of his room and down the hall. He waited behind a corner for a group of nurses to go by before he simply walked right out of the Konoha Hospital. _Tch…that was easy._

The only place he knew he could go was his old home in the Uchiha district so that was his first destination. From there, he would decide where to go. Sasuke wandered down the streets of Konoha and was glad he left as early as he did. The sun was just beginning to rise and he was avoiding the morning crowd. Konoha was in much better shape than Tsunade led him on to believe. Of course…it had been nearly a month since the attack so repairs were nearing completion around the village. It was also very strange to be back 'home'. He resented this place so much that he had forgotten how much he kind of missed it. It was where he was born and raised after all. Sasuke followed the streets until he got closer to his district. Something seemed out of place, though. He could usually see the entrance gate at this point. His stomach dropped when he got closer. _…what the hell?!_ He quickened his pace as much as he could with the crutch being more of a nuisance than anything. It finally hit him as he could see the crumbled buildings, rubble and the overall destruction of his district.

Sasuke just stood at the front entrance and stared at the rubble. The thought of his district being taken out never really crossed his mind and no one had really mentioned it to him. He also wasn't surprised that the Hokage-bitch wasn't even making efforts to clean—or better yet restore- his district. She was just fucking _nosy_ making the Hyuuga go dig around. Sasuke wasn't sure if he was angry, surprised or sad. Nothing really seemed to make sense since he woke up and he half wondered if maybe he was stuck in some weird genjutsu. This was yet another reason to leave Konoha and forget everything that came along with it—especially Naruto.

The clouds began to dominate over the rising sun as Sasuke slowly walked through his old district. The one hope that he had was to return to living in his old home, but even then he couldn't do that. He didn't get his revenge. His district was gone. He was officially the last Uchiha left in the world. He had no one. Itachi was looking for Naruto and that was the reason he invaded Konoha. _So it's Naruto's fault._ But Sasuke knew deep down it was his fault. It was depressing and distracting. His foot got caught on a few bricks in his way, which sent him falling face first into the dirt. The box in his arm flew a few feet before it landed. A pain shot up his leg and he gritted his teeth. He attempted to get to his feet, but his crutch was nowhere to be found. Out of frustration, Sasuke formed chakra in his hand and activated his Chidori. He limped over towards a pile of rubble and blasted it to pieces. And he continued doing this until he couldn't take the pain in his leg anymore. He fell to the ground and gasped for air. Nothing seemed to satisfy his frustrations.

"AHHHH!" He screamed and pounded the ground with his fist. Sasuke felt weak, helpless, and alone. How does he pick up the pieces of his life when he had none to begin with? He laid there for what seemed like an hour as he enjoyed his pity party. Sasuke was tired of thinking about the past; he hated the present, and didn't even want to think of the future. It didn't look hopeful. Eventually, Sasuke managed to get up and he found his crutch lying underneath debris from his tantrum from earlier. With the crutch now firmly supporting him, he suddenly panicked. _The box…shit! _ Sasuke frantically searched for where the box could have landed and he cursed himself for creating even more debris to look under. After a few minutes he found the old box underneath a few slabs of dry wall. Luckily it was fine. He picked it up and stared at it. He never did read the scrolls. With nothing else to do, Sasuke decided now would be a good time.

He stepped over piles of debris and could see the remaining police headquarters ahead of him. It was still somewhat intact and from the looks of the clouds in the sky, it might rain. Sasuke made it to shelter just in time for the first rain drop to hit the ground. The pitter patter of the rain made for a nice break in the silence as Sasuke leaned up against an old wall and slid to the floor. He remembered Hinata telling him it emitted a chakra and he wasn't sure why. Sasuke unlatched the box and picked up one of three scrolls. The seal was an old Uchiha seal for important documents and he held up his hands to break it immediately. The paper was very old and brittle so he had to be careful as he opened it up.

_Dear Sasuke,_

_ Happy 16__th__ birthday! I write this as you're only a small little boy, but I knew from the moment I held you in my arms that you would become someone great. Your brother certainly talks non-stop on how much he loves the Academy. Of course you still have a few years until you're able to attend, but both of you are so gifted and talented. Your father and I decided to keep with the Uchiha tradition of writing you your 16__th__ birthday wishes early. As you read this, I know you're a great ninja. You should have graduated from the academy already and are pursuing many goals! Please continue to make us proud, not only as our youngest son but as an Uchiha._

_ Love, Mother_

Sasuke read the scroll over and over again until he almost had it memorized. He had no idea that this was ever written or that it was intended to be a birthday present for him. A small smile spread across his lips. There was no one around to hide that smile from or pretend to act tough in front of. He carefully rolled the scroll back up, and grabbed another one that was in the box. With the seal broken, Sasuke held his breath as he opened the next one.

_Sasuke,_

_ It is tradition in the Uchiha family to leave behind letters of the past for the future- especially for your 16__th__ birthday. It means now you are a man and hopefully by now a Jonin. Continue to pursue big goals just like your brother Itachi. The name of the Uchiha is only for those who achieve greatness so keep that in mind with every mission. _

_ Father_

His father was always a man of few words. And when those words did come out they were blunt and to the point. He suddenly felt like he resembled his father now even at the age of 17. Sasuke frowned. But did he maintain the greatness his father always pushed him for? He never did get the approval or acknowledgement he needed from his family. A crack of thunder boomed in the distance as the rain continued outside. After a few minutes, Sasuke grabbed the final scroll and exhaled when he opened it. It was full of words of encouragement from fellow Uchiha like his aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors. The last scribbles of ink on the scroll were from his brother, wishing him luck. The scroll was beginning to get blurry as his eyes filled with years. He blinked them away, but it seemed out of his control. For the first time in three years, Sasuke allowed himself to cry freely.

Here he was damning himself and everyone around him. But the words of those lost were there to encourage him even though there was nothing left. He didn't feel so alone anymore. Sasuke felt a sob erupt from his throat and it echoed in the building as he let it all out. _Father…mother…everyone… I won't let you down. I will not fail._ He hugged the scroll close to him and felt the anger in his heart subside. He wouldn't let the name Uchiha disappear. He wouldn't settle for anything but greatness.

* * *

"Tch… Shizune! I need another damn bucket in here." Tsunade yelled as rain was leaking into her office. Things were getting replaced, but the roof was currently being worked on. All her papers were getting dripped on from over her desk.

"Hai!" She heard the voice from outside her office. Tsunade looked across the room adorned with buckets and the constant drip was driving her _insane_. Shizune appeared with a bowl.

"Umm we're out of buckets." She smiled apologetically and she placed the bowl on Tsunade's desk. Tsunade scowled a bit and set the bowl to the left of her desk, lining it up with the water leaking from above. Her room looked stupid and all she had to do was laugh to herself.

"I suppose it could always be worse." Tsunade said under her breath, and Ton-Ton wiggled in her lap. Shizune smiled brightly.

"Did you hear the news? Naruto-kun is awake."

"Mmm… it's about time." Tsunade said and even she couldn't hide her relief. There were a lot of things weighing on the Fifth Hokage's mind and this was one thing she was able to not worry about anymore. "It seems he is just fine…a little sore but he should be able to leave within a week or so."

"And Uchiha Sasuke?" Shizune asked cautiously. Tsunade folded her hands on her desk and rolled her eyes.

"Well, he's gone. But I know for a fact he is still in the village. I'm keeping a close eye on him." She said watching the rain drops fall into the buckets scattered across the room. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door and before anyone could say anything, Sasuke barged in.

"Ch!" Tsunade said as he slammed the door shut behind him. "You've got some damn nerve, Uchiha!"

"When were you going to tell me my district was gone?" He asked sharply leaning on his crutch. The thunder rumbled in the distance as Tsunade leaned back in her chair.

"Well I wasn't expecting you to let release yourself from the hospital." She closed her eyes, and sighed heavily. He was as annoying as when Orochimaru used to pull that shit with her. "Needless to say, I've got a lot of other more important things to tend to, thanks to you."

"I don't care." Sasuke said. The pitter-patter of the rain was all that could be heard as they sat in silence. Tsunade slammed her hands on her desk, making the bowl of water almost shatter. Ton-Ton squealed out of fear and jumped down from Tsunade's lap.

"Damnit, Sasuke. Now you listen to m-"

"And you have the Hyuuga girl snooping around without even bothering to ask me." Sasuke sneered at her. Tsunade had to count to ten to calm herself down. The repairmen already had enough to work on—they didn't need another wall blown out.

"It was my decision, not yours. She came to me afterward and you should really thank her." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I originally wasn't going to let you have that box. But she pleaded with me."

"I want supplies to rebuild the Uchiha district." He said, changing the subject to the reason he was there.

"Excuse me?"

"I want supplies to rebuild the Uchiha district." Sasuke repeated bitterly. "I don't need your help; I just need the tools to do it." Tsunade was silent for a moment and she rubbed her temples. _I need a drink._ Shizune bit her lip and stared down at her feet. He was truly testing the patience of the Fifth Hokage.

"Fine," She murmured. That meant that Sasuke was staying in the village and she would still need to keep an eye on him. "But you're in _my_ village so you'll follow _my_ rules. You're not allowed to do as you please like you were with Orochimaru. Got that?" Sasuke smirked and bowed mockingly.

"Yes ma'am…"

"Shizune. Provide Uchiha Sasuke with a loft for tonight, some clothes and spending money."

"Don't bother. I'll stay in my district tonight." He said.

"Whatever. You'll need a sleeping bag and other sorts. Take them or I'll forcibly send you back to the hospital for tonight." Sasuke shrugged and he turned to hobble out.

"By the way, Naruto is awake." She added, curious to see his response. He acted like he didn't hear her and slammed the door shut behind him. Shizune, who had been holding her breath, exhaled.

* * *

Hinata struggled to open her eyes, and when she did she found herself in her own hospital room. She sat up but immediately regretted it. Her head had a dull ache and when she brought her hand to rub her forehead, she felt a bandage.

"Hinata-san," She looked over to see Neji sitting in a chair next to her bed with his arms crossed firmly on his chest. Hinata suddenly felt very embarrassed. She wondered if he knew all the details.

"…N-Neji-san?" Hinata laid back down on the bed as she thought back to yesterday. She was about to visit Naruto that morning when she accidentally overheard the conversation between him and Sakura. She was a bit ashamed, since it was a very personal exchange between the two. Of course Hinata always knew deep down that Naruto had feelings for Sakura. He always had, and even though Hinata tried her best to gain Naruto's approval…she never received it. She suddenly felt silly, fainting because of hearing Naruto's confession to Sakura.

"What happened?" Neji interrupted her thoughts. His tone seemed more disappointed than it did sympathetic. Hinata felt hot tears welling up in her eyes. He always made her feel like a child.

"I felt a bit whoozy y-yesterday and must have fainted." She said quietly. Neji smirked gently and bowed his head a bit.

"I was worried when Sakura came by yesterday. But it's good that it wasn't serious." Hinata turned her head so he wouldn't see her struggle emotionally. He was never good with that sort of thing and she wouldn't show any more weakness than she needed to in front of him.

"Hinata, how are you feeling?" Sakura asked as she walked into the room. She nodded a greeting towards Neji, and walked next to the bed.

"I'm fine." Hinata said quietly while Sakura removed the bandages from her forehead. Neji frowned when he saw the gash.

"One moment…" Sakura said as she rested her hand over the wound and applied healing chakra. "Is the pain any better?"

"H-Hai."

"Well, you're free to go. Just come back in a few days so I can make sure it isn't infected." Hinata nodded and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Sakura smiled brightly.

"I meant to tell you…Naruto is finally awake if you want to visit him. I told him you were a big help when it came to changing his bandages. I'm sure he'd want to say thanks." Neji raised his eyebrow at this. He knew that she was visiting him every day because she would be absent during his training with Hanabi. Hiashi also took note of her increasing absence since the attack on Konoha.

"Oh…that's great. But I think I'm just ready to go home." She said quietly and got up. Sakura frowned a bit but nodded while Hinata walked towards the door. Neji also stood up and followed her to the door. They walked silently down the hallway.

"I'm sorry I made you worry." Hinata glanced over at him and he offered her a reassuring smile.

"It's quite all right. It is my duty to make sure you're safe." She wondered if he only looked out for her specifically because it was his duty or because he actually cared for her. They reached the doors of the hospital to leave and Hinata frowned.

"Oh… it's raining."

"Mm. It's been raining all morning." Neji said opening the door for her.

"Oyyyyy, Neji!" Tenten was running up the walkway to the hospital while wiping rain water from her face. "Gai-sensei wants us to do some quick training before he leaves for a mission." Neji suddenly looked irritated. Gai _would_ want to train in the rain. If it wasn't a sunset, it was some other strange extreme. Lee would be pleased.

"Mission? Is the Fifth Hokage allowing missions to resume again?" Tenten nodded.

"It's got to be an emergency though. And someone of high rank needs to be escorted." Neji sighed lightly and looked to Hinata. She smiled.

"I-I'll be fine. I can walk home on my own."

"I won't be long. Make sure you go straight home." She nodded, and said her goodbyes to Tenten. Hinata hesitated for a moment before she walked into the rain, and it felt cold on her skin. It caused a shiver to go down her spine. Even though she promised Neji she'd go straight home, it was the last place she wanted to be. After finding out that Naruto was awake, she was very happy. However she had a hard time dismissing the thoughts of his confession with Sakura. She tried very hard for the attention of Naruto and yet he only seemed to look past her. Hinata wondered if all the hard work of training and getting stronger was worth anything. While she did enjoy her team and going on the missions, she always felt that being a ninja was more of her father's wish than hers. She _was_ the heir to the Hyuuga. The wind howled and blew back her bangs while the rain pelted on her gash. Hinata brought a small hand up to trace a finger on it. It did feel better with Sakura's first aid, but it would take a few days to go away completely.

Hinata took her time walking in the rain while she playfully splashed in the puddles on the streets. She didn't even notice someone walking slowly behind her.

"Watch it, Hyuuga." The cold words made her freeze in her steps as she turned around.

"O-Oh I'm so sorry." She said, and realized the only person who called her 'Hyuuga' was Uchiha Sasuke. The rain was picking up and he almost didn't hear her over the loud pitter-patters on the streets. Sasuke limped passed her with the crutch helping him down the street. He was slow but as long as he was getting to where he had to go it was fine. Hinata followed behind him and felt embarrassed. Was he watching her the entire time? She noticed he had a backpack and then it hit her—he was out of the hospital. Where was he staying? It had been years since he lived in Konoha and she knew more than anyone that his district was almost completely gone.

"Sasuke-kun," Hinata tried to get his attention but he either didn't hear her or he ignored her. "Do y-you have anywhere to stay tonight?"

"Why are you following me?" He simply asked and stopped to rest his leg. Sasuke would never show it, but the pain was excruciating. Leaving the hospital this early was probably not the best idea he ever had. She opened her mouth to say something, but his question surprised her so nothing came out. He snorted at her.

"I'm not. The Hyuuga D-District is this way." She tried to defend herself because it was true. The rain pelted down on them as they stood there in silence. The rain dripped off his hair and down his cheeks. Hinata blushed and looked away—she was staring again. Maybe the reason why all the girls in this village melted at his every word was because he was the tall-dark-and-handsome type. It wasn't her type at all, but there was something about him that she couldn't predict. Sasuke smirked when he saw the color on her cheeks and he turned around to continue on his way home.

"W-Wait, do you need somewhere to stay?" She asked him again while she followed after him.

"No."

"Oh," She was a few steps behind him, and Hinata had to walk even slower since he was relying on his crutch. The only other place she could think that he was going was the Uchiha district which was on the outskirts of the village. Hinata frowned. He couldn't _possibly_ be going there. She watched the water squish out of her shoes as she walked and the rain began to lighten, much to Sasuke's relief. He kept moving his eyes to look back at her. She was much different than the other girls around here. She didn't try to get his approval but she also didn't stand up for herself. The Hyuuga mansion was coming in view and Hinata chewed on her lower lip. She was sure her father would be disappointed that she spent the night in the hospital because of a faint. Hinata brushed her wet bangs to cover up the gash and when she reached the gate, she stopped. Sasuke continued to limp forward. She smiled slightly. He had more pride than Neji did. And with that final note, Hinata took a deep breath and entered the Hyuuga mansion.


	5. Chapter 5

As promised, here is Chapter 5... I've already got Chapter 6 done and ready to go too. Starting on 7... thank you once again for all the follows, reviews and favorites. I enjoy opening my e-mail now :D Also I apologize if anyone is OOC... I am trying my hardest. I might be making Hinata TOO timid, which who'd of thought :P Enjoy.

* * *

Hinata felt a ray of sunlight hit her in the face and she opened her lavender eyes slowly. The gash on her forehead throbbed a little bit, but she figured once she was up and walking around it would feel a little better. She sat up in her bed and ran her fingers through her hair. The rain had stopped completely, and it was a new day. With Naruto awake, Hinata felt too shy to go and visit him. Besides, he probably found out about her spill the other day and that embarrassed her enough for her face to go red. There was now a gap in her routine. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed and began to get dressed for some morning training. It was something she did with her sister almost every morning and it was one of the only ways for them to bond. Normal sisters went shopping together, braided their hair, or talked about _normal girl stuff. _But as ninja, and especially daughters of Hiashi, they were dignified kunoichi. Hinata followed Hanabi out into the middle of the yard and stood in position.

"So who was that boy you were walking with yesterday?" Hanabi asked nonchalantly as she lurched forward to attack. Hinata raised her eyebrow for a moment then thought back to yesterday. _Oh…_ Her sister almost sent a fist into her jaw but Hinata quickly dodged it. It surprised her more than anything that she was asking her about _boys__**. **_

"Um… that's Uchiha Sasuke." She said between breaths. Hinata followed each punch with a block and began to put up more of an offense. Her sister was very quick and sharp while they spared. It would normally make anyone else jealous to have their younger sister excel so well. But Hinata was too kind. She was very proud of her sister. Hanabi smirked and she seemed intrigued as she began to interrogate.

"So that's the guy who destroyed the village? He sure is cute."

"N-No. Well, kind of. I mean…I guess." Hinata cringed at her poor response, but her sister didn't give her an opportunity to recover.

"Father wouldn't approve." Hanabi said simply. Hinata inhaled and dodged yet another close punch to the shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed and Hanabi wasn't sure if it was from the training or the thought of being paired with Sasuke. It certainly was a strange thought that Hinata forced out of her head pretty quickly. There was a reason that Hinata was drawn to Naruto and it was because even with the darkness of the nine-tailed fox, he still emitted light everywhere he went. He didn't let that burden him and he didn't let that get in the way of his dreams. Sasuke lived, breathed and almost gave up his body for darkness. The thought of Orochimaru made her sick to her stomach. Was revenge really worth all that? Hinata remembered Naruto's persistence in bringing back his best friend and no one ever understood that. Sasuke betrayed Konoha on more than one occasion.

"Approve of what?" Neji's voice interrupted their conversation as he walked out onto the wooden walkway that surrounded the yard. This caught Hinata off guard and one of Hanabi's punches finally made a land on her sister's cheek. She knelt down on her knees, a signal to 'hold on', and glanced up at her cousin.

"N-Nothing." He crossed his arms with a frown. Hinata rubbed her cheek and forced a smile. "Good job." She said to her little sister. Hanabi beamed. She had the approval of her father and of her clan, but Hanabi always secretly felt her sister's approval was the most important.

"I can take over from here." Neji said and Hinata took full advantage of that. She bowed and made a beeline for the bathroom. Hanabi smirked and turned to her cousin.

"How's that, Neji-niisan?" He smiled slightly and patted the top of her head. It was as if Neji had eyes in the back of his head… he watched Hinata run off and something seemed odd about her lately. Once in the bathroom, Hinata filled her cupped hands with cool water and then splashed her face. It felt good on the gash and also good on her sore cheek. Her eyes gazed up at her reflection and she watched the droplets roll down her face. Hinata hoped that the punch wouldn't leave a bruise. Her skin was so pale that everything always looked worse than it really was. She frowned at herself and wiped the water off with a towel. Hinata was never really one to be aware of her womanly features. In fact, she made sure everything was well hidden behind her jacket.

For the first time, she wondered if Naruto would prefer her better if she wore something different. Her father would certainly _not_ approve if she decided to wear anything less and it wasn't in her nature to flaunt. Hinata closed her lavender eyes and scolded herself. She shouldn't have to change in order for someone to love her. Heartache was so much worse when you were old enough to understand. When she was younger, just seeing Naruto from a distance made her happy. And even in the three years he left Konoha, she missed him dearly. She was happy when he was happy. Hinata opened her eyes again and sighed. But she _wasn't_ happy. She always pictured herself by Naruto's side, but then again, Hinata often wondered if her father would allow it. Arranged marriages weren't as common in their clan as they used to be, but at her last birthday celebration, the elders mentioned something of it.

She left the bathroom and returned to her room before her father could catch her. She was enjoying her time away from home more and more and as long as she trained, it kept both Kurenai-sensei and Hiashi happy. Hinata began to get dressed for the day and ran a quick brush through her long hair. She frowned and thought about Hanabi's words about Sasuke earlier. It was true, he did add to the damage of the village but it wasn't entirely his fault. It didn't settle right in her stomach at the fact that Uchiha Sasuke had little to no friends in his life. Aside from his team, there was no one for him to confide in. Would anyway really put it past him? The boy had no family. In fact, he practically witnessed the demise of his family and friends. Hinata walked towards her window and looked in the direction of the Uchiha District. There had to be something she could do.

* * *

The birds chirping awoke him and Sasuke groaned. He almost wanted to take back the words he said to Tsunade about the stiff bed at the hospital. The ground was way worse and he rolled over in his sleeping bag. Sometimes his pride put him in worse situations than if he just accepted someone's help. Sunshine seeped in through the broken roof above him in the Police Headquarters and he yawned. It was truly a strange feeling to be back "home". He sat up and rubbed his forehead. The pain in his leg was beginning to feel better, but he knew he should take it easy or he'd be hobbling around forever.

Sasuke began to wonder what his next move was. Whenever Tsunade would bring him the materials, he could start to re-build. But the point was that…Sasuke knew _nothing_ about construction. It was times like this where he began to regret burning all the bridges he had in his past. He had ideas on how he wanted it to work, but it was like telling a child to drive a car. It could be done, but it would be awful.

"Hello?" Sasuke heard a voice calling in the distance. He stood up cautiously with the crutch under his armpit and also grabbed a kunai out of his pack on the floor next to him. He peeked out from the entrance into the building and saw an old, grouchy man stepping over piles of concrete. _Who the hell…?_ He had never seen the man in his life and no one had the right (or need) to come into the Uchiha District. Sasuke walked out in view and leaned on his crutch. His dependency on it was becoming less and less each day. Tsunade would be proud.

"Who are you?" He asked and gripped the kunai a bit tighter. The man who was about average height and bald…so he really wasn't that threatening. He looked at Sasuke's kunai and smirked.

"So you're the damn Uchiha that I gotta help?" Sasuke raised his eyebrow and then threw the kunai at him. The old man laughed as he dodged it. "Damn you, Tsunade." He muttered under his breath. Sasuke suddenly began to feel territorial as the old man reached to the entrance to the old Police Headquarters. He glared at him.

"You have no right to be her-"

"The name is Masaru. I've been told by the Fifth Hokage to begin restoration on the Uchiha district." Masaru looked around at the rubble and sighed. This was a big job for one man, but he had to repay his debts. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He specifically told her he didn't want any help. But his thoughts went back to the whole not knowing about construction thing.

"I told her I didn't need her help."

"Shit's tough, ain't it, kid? I'm not here because I wanna be. Besides, I come with the supplies." Masaru said. He reached into his pocket and took out a small burlap pouch the size of a soda can. Sasuke observed this carefully. The old man opened the bag and pulled up a chunk of tobacco then popped it in his mouth. Sasuke frowned. The man was going to help him or not—he had to by order of the Hokage. He sighed heavily, and walked back inside the headquarters. Masaru chuckled, his belly bouncing, and then spit to the side.

"Alright, kid. Here's the deal—I'm here to help you for three months and three months _only._ That is all I owe to the Hokage so the speed is up to you. I can work as slow as a damn slug if I need to." Masaru said and he turned to walk away. Sasuke thought for a moment as he was rolling up his sleeping bag. _Ch… this old man._ He pulled on his shoes and zipped up his jacket before he limped back out.

"Old man," Sasuke said and Masaru turned around.

"Hmm?"

"When do we begin?" Sasuke looked to the side, as if feeling shy about getting help from someone. Masaru snickered and spit again.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, bright and early. Oh, here. Tsunade wanted me to give you this." He walked back up to Sasuke and handed him an envelope. Sasuke took it curiously. _What is she up to?_ Masaru scratched the top of his head.

"Make sure you're ready for some heavy liftin'. Got any friends to come help out?" Sasuke put the envelope in his pocket and scowled to himself. How do you tell someone you don't have any friends? Naruto was still in the hospital, and quite frankly he wanted to keep it that way. He was the only person Sasuke considered a friend. Everyone else avoided him like the plague and he was fine with that. After being gone for three years and then coming back only to destroy the village, he wasn't the most popular person right now.

"Just don't be late, old man." Sasuke said and turned around to walk away. Masaru felt the veins in his forehead pop out.

"Damnit, will you stop callin' me an old man?!" Uchiha Sasuke smirked as he entered the old Headquarters building. Masaru sighed heavily and he, too, smirked. _That kid was a pupil of Orochimaru's. Not so tough anymore, huh._ Sasuke leaned his crutch up against the wall, and sat back down. The wind whistled through the cracks in the old building, but it was still very stable. He thought back to how his father spent many long hours here. _Father… I'm trying._

Sasuke heard footsteps again and he rolled his eyes. That old man was really beginning to irritate him. He decided to ignore him and remain seated on the floor. After a few seconds of silence, Sasuke heard a loud thud and an 'oof'. He got to his feet and used his crutch to go out to investigate who was bothering him now.

"Oww…" Hinata sat up and rubbed her knees. Sasuke didn't exactly welcome her with open arms. Why was everyone just waltzing into his area today? The wind tossed her hair around and she sat there for a moment. _Ugh, how embarrassing.._. Her cheek was still sore from her sparring match with Hanabi earlier, and now her knees were added to the list of things that hurt. Hinata slowly got to her feet and looked around. Once her eyes locked on Sasuke, her face turned beet red.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun!" She looked down at her toes. Sasuke shook his head.

"What do you want, Hyuuga?" He asked irritably. Hinata bit her lip and suddenly something came to mind. She saw the item she was looking for laying on the ground a few feet away. Sasuke watched her walk to pick up what looked like a packed lunch. Hinata brushed the dirt off the handkerchief it was wrapped in and she walked over to the entrance of the Headquarters.

"I wasn't sure…if you had eaten anything yet today." She held it out to him and he stared at it. Sasuke hated charity and everyone was so willing to just treat him like he was a beggar lately. But he couldn't stand it when she fretted so he snatched it from her. It surprised her when he took it and she looked up to him with a smile.

"H-how is your leg?" Sasuke had never met someone who went out of their way to do things for others and not gain anything from it. He was the complete opposite—_rely only on yourself and never show your weakness_. Unless it was something of value for him, he usually never had a second glance at something.

"Why are you here?" He said and turned around to enter the building again. If one more person made him get up, he wouldn't be happy. Hinata followed hesitantly and looked around. It was dusty in the old Headquarters, and she noticed Sasuke had made his own little area in a corner of the main room. He grunted as he lowered himself next to his backpack with the lunch in his lap.

"I just worried about you, I suppose." Hinata said quietly as she sat down across from him. He eyed her for a moment. There was no reason for her to worry—did she not know he was an Uchiha? Sasuke could take care of himself.

"Worry more about Naruto." Sasuke said almost bitterly. It surprised him more than it did Hinata. Her soft eyes looked away from him. She knew Naruto was getting plenty of attention at the hospital as he recovered. He didn't need her there. There was a silence between the two as Sasuke opened his lunch. Inside he found white rice with vegetables and fried fish. Every few seconds, he could glance up at her to make sure she wasn't snooping around for whatever reason. Sasuke learned long ago never to trust anyone. The Byakugan was an amazing kekkei genkei and almost as good as his Sharingan. He'd had to remember to ask her more about it when he felt more apt to holding a conversation.

Even though neither said a word while Sasuke ate, it was refreshing to him to have some company. Although he could go for weeks on end without any human interaction, there was something about just having another presence there that made him feel more content. He looked up at her for a moment and noticed she was staring at the box sitting next to his backpack. Sasuke recalled her saying it emitted a kind of chakra and he wondered more about it.

"Hyuuga. What kind of chakra is in the box?" He asked. She bit her lower lip and without a word she activated her Byakugan.

"It's just a normal kind, although it's not as strong as before." Sasuke furrowed his brows and looked over at it. He wondered if breaking the seals on the scrolls had something to do with it. He reached out to grab it and open it. A photograph stood out to him the most as he looked at it. There was a man he didn't recognize with what looked like his father as a young boy. Around his neck, he wore the same necklace that sat in the box. Sasuke then picked up the necklace and he heard Hinata shift.

"U-Uhm that necklace has chakra in it." She said softly. He looked back at the pendant and a small smile spread on his lips. His father left him something of importance. Maybe he would ask Tsunade about it later if he felt like dealing with her. Sasuke shut the box and the breeze blew through the building once more. It made Hinata's long hair dance around her shoulders and Sasuke watched it. He always liked long hair. Maybe it was because his mother and all the other women in the Uchiha clan almost never cut their hair. She noticed him watching her and her cheeks began to get red.

"H-Have you gone to see Naruto-kun yet?" Hinata tried to will away the redness in her cheek, and she breathed a sigh of relief when he looked away.

"He's got enough people to give him the attention he wants." Sasuke said as he packed away the empty box his lunch came in. Hinata felt like he was making a jab at her.

"Yes… I hope he's doing well." She felt bad that she hadn't gone to see him yet. Maybe, if she could muster up the courage, she would go see him later that day. Sasuke leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He normally wouldn't care what she did, but her logic was all over the place. First, she went to visit him every day while he was in a coma. And now that he was awake, she had yet to see him. Women were so strange and unpredictable. Especially Sakura—she claimed her love for him based merely on what she perceived of him. She had no idea who he really was, and that always bothered him. Of course it was unlike him to be thinking of half of these things. Revenge was the only thing on his mind but now that it was gone, what was there to do? There was nothing to plan and nothing to get stronger for.

"Um, is there anything else I can get for you?" Hinata interrupted his thoughts. He ignored her and she bit her bottom lip—clearly a habit developed out of anxiety. "It's supposed to get cold tonight an-"

"I don't need your charity, Hyuuga." Sasuke could feel himself beginning to get angry.

"But I-" She stopped herself when he opened his eyes to glare at her. Sasuke had a short patience and Hinata was surely testing him. Her cheeks grew warm again. Hinata couldn't pinpoint the reason why she was trying to reach out to him. Maybe it was because she recognized the sadness inside and knew what it was like to be so alone. No one bothered to tend to her loneliness as a child—it was only high expectations for the heir of the clan. Her father loomed over her day and night and she often wondered why the Hyuuga name wasn't already handed over to her sister or Neji for that matter. Hinata just felt this feeling deep down in her chest that said Uchiha Sasuke needed a helping hand, even though he would never admit his weaknesses. The silence was back and he decided he wanted to be alone. Sasuke pushed forward the empty box of food as if to say 'thanks, now get the hell away from me'. Hinata reached out to take it when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. She yelped, partly out of surprise and partly out of fear.

"Who hurt you?" He asked flatly, and stared at her forehead. Hinata leaned on the palm of her hand when he released her wrist. She was red with embarrassment. Of course, if she told him the real reason why, he would only scoff at her. But Hinata was an awful liar.

"A-Ah I fell the other day." Hinata murmured. Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked. She sat back and brought a hand up to brush her bangs. It hid her gash well.

"Didn't your sensei teach you anything? A good ninja is quick on their feet; they can't afford to trip and fall. The enemy can always sense your weaknesses if you're careless." Sasuke said as if he was lecturing her. She looked down and nodded. He reminded her of Neji with his tone of voice and condescending body language. Shino would always grab her jacket when she'd lose her balance during training and even Akamaru would nudge himself behind her to keep her from falling. It seemed no matter the amount of time spent training, she would never amount up the expectations of anyone; not even Uchiha Sasuke. Hinata picked up the box and got to her feet.

"Thank you. I'll try to remember that..." Her voice trailed off and he felt his stomach drop for a split second. The tone in her voice was marked with sadness and it made him feel strange. If Sasuke felt bad at all, he certainly didn't show it on his face. Instead, he ignored her and closed his eyes again. He heard her footsteps fade until he could only hear the sound of birds and the wind whistle through the building. There was no way in _hell_ he was starting to get soft.


	6. Chapter 6

Enjoy.

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Just as promised, the next morning Masaru arrived with a giant wooden cart pulled by two oxen. On his shoulders was a young boy about the age of 4, and he seemed very excited to accompanying Masaru to work that morning. Sasuke was up already, sharpening his kunai knives. When he was younger, he remembered watching his father and Itachi doing it every week. The words of his father were implanted in his brain—_A dull kunai is a worthless kunai. Remember to take time to sharpen your weapons. If you take care of them, they'll take care of you. _Upon hearing the cart pull up to the entrance and the oxen grunting, Sasuke got to his feet. Each day his leg was getting better and now he was to the point where he only needed his crutch if he was walking a far distance. Sasuke wasted no time meeting Masaru and he nodded a slight greeting in his direction. The boy on his shoulders inhaled enthusiastically once his big brown eyes laid on Sasuke.

"Wow!" He breathed and patted Masaru's head. The old man laughed heartily and reached up to set him on the ground.

"This is my grand-son, Taro. Hopefully he will be of some help." He said. Sasuke ignored the kid and looked over at the cart.

"Where are my supplies?" He said bluntly. Masaru rolled his eyes and then patted one of his oxen on the head.

"Keep your pants on, Uchiha. We gotta get rid of as much rubble as we can first." He looked around and frowned. "Ain't got any friends?" Sasuke shrugged his shoulder and shifted his weight on to his good leg. The little boy tugged on Sasuke's pant leg.

"You look so _strong_. Are you a ninja?" Taro asked as if he was speaking to a celebrity. Sasuke looked down at the boy and nodded. Taro felt his little cheeks get warm and he smiled.

"Grampa, I wanna be a ninja." This got another big boom of a laugh from Masaru and he ruffled the boys jet black hair.

"Your mother wouldn't have any of that. Alright, Uchiha, let's get started. I've got an idea on how to get this done rather easily." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out several paper bombs. "These things are the lowest grade paper bombs and will help blast away the big stuff. Then it'll be easier to start haulin' away." Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. He didn't really care for the idea of making a bigger mess, but if that's how it had to be then he didn't mind. Sasuke wondered how long it would take them to clear out the entire district and he sighed. Maybe he _did_ some help, but who would want to help him? Besides, Sasuke would rather stab himself in the foot with a kunai before asking Naruto or Sakura for help. Masaru spit out some tobacco, and knelt down to Taro.

"Take these and go with Sasuke. He's going to help you put up the paper bombs, but make sure you listen to what he's tellin' you." Taro nodded wide eyed as if he'd been given a secret mission. Sasuke laughed in his mind and it reminded him of when he was little. Itachi was always out doing training or beginning his missions while Sasuke was stuck watching from the side lines. He was always so eager to go to the Academy and learn as much as he could. Masaru slowly got up and rubbed his back.

"Damn, this sucks. Okay, Uchiha. I know it'll be a pain in the ass for you to watch Taro, but he might actually be of some help." Sasuke's face showed signs of dismay but he really didn't mind. Taro looked up at Sasuke brightly.

"Let's go, Sasuke-san!" He said. And so it began—Sasuke and Taro started by putting paper bombs on large walls that never fell down, or on the old foundations of buildings. It was a grueling process, and by the time they had gone around and placed all the paper bombs, Sasuke was wiping the sweat from his forehead. Taro seemed to be full of boundless energy as he would take Sasuke's hand and drag him along to the next area. Of course if Taro couldn't reach, Sasuke would have to lift the boy up so he could set the paper bomb. Sasuke had never been good with kids, and never really cared for them. They were annoying and snot-nosed little brats. But Taro wasn't either—he was eager to learn and he asked Sasuke many questions about his adventures as a ninja. While the two went along the left side of the district, Masaru tackled the right side setting paper bombs. Of course, Sasuke made sure that they avoided the Police Headquarters. He still needed a place to take shelter and that was fine by Masaru. The sun was at its highest point in the sky and it beat down on them hotly.

"All done, eh?" Masaru asked as they ventured back towards the entrance of the district. Taro nodded energetically as he told his grandpa how good of a job he did setting up the paper bombs.

"Taro, go sit behind the cart." Taro didn't question it and once he was out of view, Masaru looked over at Sasuke.

"Ready?" He asked. Sasuke crossed his arms in response. The old man brought up his hands to make the correct seal and within seconds, the paper bombs exploded. The ground rumbled underneath Sasuke's feet and he shielded his eyes as a blast of dust and dirt clouded the area. Once it cleared, he looked across the district. The only building that remained standing was the Police Headquarters and he then looked over at Masaru. He had a look of satisfaction on his face and he chuckled.

"Damn, I love the smell of explosives in the morning." Sasuke smirked. He could get along with this guy. Taro ran up to them both with a look of awe in his eyes as he began to tug on Masaru's hand. Sasuke watched the smoke cloud disappearing in the wind and he frowned again. Even though the pieces were smaller, how long would it take them to clean this mess up? He heard small footsteps behind them and he looked over his shoulder. He saw Hinata's head poke out from behind the cart as she walked slowly up towards them. Her eyes were wide and he was sure the blast must have made her concerned.

"Oh… I-I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt…" She said, seeing Masaru and his grandson. Sasuke noticed she had another lunch and water bottle in her hands. This girl was really confusing to him, but the rumble in his stomach didn't seem to care. The envelope that Tsunade had given Sasuke had money in it for him to go out and purchase himself anything he needed. She was a sly woman; since he wouldn't take her help up front, she had to give it to him on surprise. Masaru looked over in the direction of Hinata and smiled.

"You did no such thing, young lady." He said and nodded at her with a smile. Taro's big brown eyes looked at Hinata and he tugged on his grandfather's hand again.

"Wow, grampa she's so pretty!" He said. Hinata felt her cheeks go red and she smiled at the boy. No one had ever called her pretty before so it was a strange compliment for her.

"Thank you. My name is Hinata." She said softly to the boy and he blushed trying to hide behind his grandfather's large hand. Sasuke observed their interaction. She was so much better with kids than he ever would be. Taking care of a child required patience and love; all of which Sasuke had neither of.

"My name…is Taro." Masaru laughed and patted his grandson again on the head.

"It's very n-nice to meet you, Taro." Hinata smiled.

"Are ya hungry, Taro? I'll treat you to some ramen. Just don't tell your mother!" He said as he lifted Taro back onto his shoulders. "Oooh you're getting so damn heavy. Grampa isn't going to be able to carry you on his shoulders forever."

"Sasuke-san! Hinata-san! Are you coming?" He asked with a smile and Sasuke ignored him. Instead he looked at the old man.

"When are you coming back?" There was a lot to do and he didn't want him to drag his feet. Masaru smirked.

"Like I said earlier, Uchiha, keep your pants on. We'll be back soon." With that, he turned and they left to go get some much deserved lunch. Hinata smiled as Taro waved good-bye. He rolled his eyes one last time and began to limp back up to his area in the Police Headquarters. The sun was getting hot and his leg needed a rest. Hinata followed behind him, awkwardly stepping over rocks.

"What do you want, yet again?" He asked as they reached the steps into the building. Hinata hated it when she made him tell her why she was there. He obviously knew the answer; he just wanted to hear her say it. Sasuke wiped the sweat off his forehead as he settled down by his things. She sat down across from him and handed him the lunch without a word. He stared at it for a moment, and then looked back at her.

"You don't need to keep doing this." He said dully while secretly hoping she didn't hear his stomach rumble. Hinata set the wrapped box on the ground in front of him and ran a thumb over her finger nail. She knew she didn't need to visit him or even go through the trouble of bringing him lunch. There was just something about him being all by himself without proper food or shelter that kept her up at night. Hinata would never admit to losing sleep over Uchiha Sasuke, but he was on her mind more and more as the days went by. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face and he reached out to grab the lunch. It was a bento box filled with rice balls and fried vegetables. She smiled a little bit as he broke apart his chopsticks.

"I heard Tsunade-sama is helping with your district." Sasuke raised his eyebrow as he picked at the fried vegetables.

"Mmhmm." He opened the bottle of water and took it swig.

"U-Um… do you need help?" She asked. Hinata wasn't athletic or strong and she wasn't sure how she would be of much help in this situation. Besides, Sasuke wouldn't want her in his way, but she felt the need to be of some use.

"Do what you want." He said, picking up a rice ball. Hinata felt her cheeks flush. Sasuke worded it so well- he didn't specifically come out and ask her for help, nor did he accept her offer to help. He would take any help he could get because time was a factor. The old man was only going to help for three months and the faster the better. As he ate, Sasuke found himself stealing more and more glances over at the girl sitting in front of him. He observed her eye movements, her little habits, and the way that her cheeks would turn pink when he spoke to her. There was something about the Hyuuga girl that made her so different than any other girl. It wasn't necessarily that she had zero interest in him romantically, but there was just _something_ he didn't mind about her. He didn't mind her company. Maybe it was because she knew when to shut up. Or she knew when he was angry that he needed his space.

"I c-can help." She said after a few moments of silence.

"It's going to be hard work." Sasuke told her and gave her a hard look. He knew that she was a girl and girls weren't usually strong. But she didn't look useless as she was a ninja. She nodded.

"I know."

"Just don't get in my way. The faster this gets done, the better." He wondered if the old man had a plan or if he was just making this all up as he went. Hinata nodded and they sat for a few more minutes in silence. Normally Hinata wouldn't feel comfortable sitting in complete silence with Sasuke, but it was pleasant. He ate his food and she closed her eyes to meditate. It was very calming for both, even though they didn't realize it. Sasuke looked at her again after he finished eating. Ninja's with eye-centric jutsus always suffered from headaches or eye aches so meditating was a great way for them to rest. Sasuke recalled Itachi meditating for almost a full day after a mission, saying that over-use had its consequences. Even Kakashi had trouble after using his Sharingan. But Sasuke knew very little about the Byakugan—maybe he would ask her about it later.

"Sasuke-saaaan! Hinata-saaaaan!" Taro's voice could be heard in the distance and Hinata opened her eyes as she smiled. She got to her feet and left Sasuke to himself. He frowned and he decided he didn't like when her attention was averted away from him. It was a strange feeling to him, and he quickly dismissed it.

"Hinata-san! Are you going to help us today?" Taro asked as he ran out towards her. She smiled brightly and nodded.

"Mmhmm! I hear you've been a big help, too." Hinata said softly as she knelt down to his level. Taro grinned at her and he felt his cheeks turn a shade of pink. She was used to dealing with children. Her clan was full of them and sometimes if her aunts were tired, she would watch over them for a few hours.

"So you're Hiashi's oldest, huh?" Masaru asked as he got closer. Hinata stood up and nodded. The old man smiled.

"The name is Masaru. Hopefully you're here to help… it's gonna be a long day or two cleaning this crap up…figured the Uchiha kid would have some help around here." He said. Hinata felt her lips form a small frown. That single thought of Sasuke standing alone was ironed into her brain. Not even Sakura had stopped by to see him which was unusual. Naruto must really be taking up her time.

"So…? What's next, old man?" Sasuke asked as he limped up behind Hinata with his hands in his pockets. Masaru glared at him for calling him old and he pulled the burlap sack out of his pocket again for another dip. He brought his thumb up to his teeth to draw blood and then formed the seals boar, dog, bird, monkey and ram. Sasuke knew where this was going and was suddenly curious. Masaru slammed his hand on the ground and with a puff of smoke there appeared almost one hundred rats, and also a rat that was as big as a tiger. His fur was dark brown, and his long tail was curved at the end. He wore a light red vest and a pair of glasses sat at the end of his nose. Hinata watched in awe as the rat stretched and shielded his eyes from the sun.

"Ahh Masaru… getting older and older every time I see you." The rat's whiskers twitched in amusement. The old man felt his face go red in anger and he spat right in front of it. His long tail swished which caused Hinata to have to scurry out of the way before she got hit.

"God damnit, Nezumi. Cut the shit. I've got a job for you guys." Nezumi looked behind him at all the rubble and then he scratched the bottom of his chin. With a sigh, he took off his glasses, rubbed the lens on his vest, and placed them back on the tip of his nose.

"All right, all right." He whistled to the rats squirming at their feet and off they went picking up rocks, cement, wood and debris and carrying them on their backs. Masaru smirked and folded his arms over his chest. Sasuke was floored—the old man was smarter than he looked. His eyes moved over towards Hinata and she had a look of wonder plastered on her face. She had heard of summons, and knew that Naruto and Tsunade-sama could do it- even Kakashi-sensei with his pack of dogs. The area was filled with the sounds of squeaks and with the large amount of traffic from the rats, the ground rumbled slightly.

"Since you ain't got any friends, I brought some of mine." Masaru said and spit. Taro smiled and in an effort to help out, he began to pick up the debris from the rats and tossed them in the big wooden cart they brought. Hinata stopped watching the rats go back and forth and began helping take the rocks from the rats as well. Sasuke refrained from smiling, although he was pleased that it might not take as long as he thought. So the old man knew some jutsus… he wondered just who the hell he was. After a few hours, the district was more walkable now that a large portion of the debris was hauled away. They all worked, even Taro, until the wooden cart was full to the brim with rock, drywall, concrete and cinder-blocks. Masaru wiped sweat from his forehead and clapped his hands together.

"Nezumi! That'll do it for today." He called out to the rat leader. Nezumi nodded and whistled to the rats again. They wasted no time in disappearing with a puff of smoke. Hinata was kind of glad that they were done for the day; her back ached and the sweat was stinging the gash on her forehead. The sun was beginning to set in the sky, and Taro grabbed Hinata's hand.

"Hinata-san… will I get to see you tomorrow?" He asked, staring at her with a smile. Hinata squeezed his hand a little bit and nodded.

"Mmhmm, I'll stop by." Taro beamed, and his grandpa patted his head again.

"Its time to go, kiddo. We'll be back tomorrow." He said, and the boy looked disappointed as he protested. Even though he was an enthusiastic child, Hinata could tell he was also an _exhausted_ child by the way his eyes were drooping. Sasuke gave a nod to the old man as they turned to leave with the cart. Hinata waved good-bye until they were just a dot down the road. She turned to observe their job well done, and the land looked less gloomy now. Hinata wondered what Sasuke was planning to re-build here. Sasuke watched her for a moment.

"Let's go." He said and turned to walk out of the entrance. Hinata felt the breeze rustle her hair and she had a confused look on her face.

"G-Go where?" She asked, and walked a bit faster to catch up to him. Sasuke put his hands in his pockets as they walked down the road.

"Out," He said curtly. Hinata folded her hands in front of her and felt her cheeks get warm. _Go out? Like… a date? _As if he could read her mind, he interrupted her thoughts. "I'm just repaying you." Her cheeks returned to normal color and she looked over at him.

"You don't need to do that…" She said.

"I'm not a charity case, so if it bothers you that much, then stop trying to help me." Sasuke said and his voice was beginning to sound more irritable than usual. Hinata decided to drop the subject as they walked further into the village. The sun was almost completely down, and Sasuke glanced over at her.

"Where do you like to eat?" Hinata thought for a moment. She disliked anything fishy, which would probably explain why Sasuke was always given fried fish in his lunches.

"Anywhere is f-fine." Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck and didn't say anything. He couldn't put to words just how difficult she was. It wasn't that she was difficult to handle like Sakura, who was hot headed and acted on her emotions too much. The Hyuuga girl was just too easy. She never voiced anything that might challenge him and she would probably eat an entire dish of food that tasted awful just to save the feelings of the chef. Sasuke was different than her (and most)—he was honestly blunt and if he didn't like something, he would say it. By the time they picked a restaurant, the sun was completely hidden behind the mountains that surrounded Konoha. They entered the restaurant, receiving cheerful greetings from the staff. It was rather slow inside, with a few people looking up from their food to see who entered. They picked a small table in the corner, and Hinata sat down anxiously. It was very rare that she went out to eat at a restaurant simply because the Hyuuga mansion was always hustling and bustling with maids and cooks there to cater her during meal time. Besides, Uchiha Sasuke was already a hard person to talk to anyway, so she had a feeling it would be a quiet meal. A rather busty young woman walked up to their table with a notepad in hand and she smiled cheerfully.

"Good evening, ahh such a lovely couple." She said, and slipped a few long blonde strands of hair behind her ear. Sasuke ignored her and Hinata's face turned as red as a tomato. The waitress noticed this awkward pause and she smirked. "What can I get you two?"

"Rice balls with tomatoes and some tea." He said without even having to look at a menu. Hinata wasn't sure what to get. This was the problem when someone was treating her—she was always wary of getting something too expensive. It wasn't necessary to spend a lot of money on her with just a simple meal.

"U-Um… I'll have some red bean soup and some tea a-as well." She said and the waitress nodded.

"Mmhmm, all right you two! I'll have this out shortly." She winked at Sasuke to which he didn't even register as seeing in the first place. Once the waitress left, Hinata stared at her fingers down in her lap. Sasuke kept his arms crossed for a while and they sat in silence. He didn't mind it, and she didn't seem to either. If this was a get-together with his old team, the constant chatter between Naruto and Sakura would have driven him insane. The clatter of plates in the restaurant and quiet conversations were like music to his ears, but something else was bothering him so he spoke up.

"Hyuuga." He said, and she looked up at him. "What area did you find that box?" She was silent for a moment as she recalled when she was sent to the Uchiha district to search the area. It had been a week or two since that had happened so she tried to think hard about where it was exactly.

"It was buried underground… it looked like it used to be someone's home." Sasuke was surprised. _They buried it underground?_ He began to think hard about it. Maybe his father knew what Itachi was up to all along, and hid it before he could find it. The pendant must be something of great importance. Hinata watched him and she could tell he was confused by the way he furrowed his brows. It was a habit of his that she had noticed after observing him in the hospital. But even she was puzzled about the box. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the Uchiha clan and Hinata thought back to when she was helping Shizune organize important documents and scrolls a few months prior to the attack. They were trying to keep them preserved from the moisture in the basement of the Hokage's building. She remembered seeing a lot of different scrolls about the different clans in Konoha—from the Yamanaka clan all the way to her own Hyuuga clan. However she only recalled seeing a few Uchiha scrolls. Both were deep in thought and Sasuke didn't even realize that the waitress was setting down their tea.

"Food should be out shortly." She said and walked away. Sasuke almost choked on the amount of perfume she was wearing. Even Sakura seemed to drench herself in it. He remembered when he could smell Hinata's vanilla scent… it was much less noticeable and he liked that. Hinata picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. It felt good on her parched throat and a satisfied smile was revealed. Sasuke uncrossed his arms and he, too, took a drink of his tea.

"How are you feeling?" Hinata decided she had had enough silence, and she watched him set down his cup.

"Not good enough for training." Sasuke said. He missed being able to get up in the mornings, find a secluded area, and work on his jutsu's. Although now with Itachi being dead, there was little to fuel his motivation. Hinata frowned a bit. If Sasuke had stayed in the hospital like a normal person, his leg might have been all healed up by now. At least he wasn't using the crutch as often as he used to. Sasuke did still have a slight limp with drove him insane. The waitress returned shortly with a tray full of their food and Hinata suddenly felt her stomach growl. It had been a long day and she was relieved their food was here.

The rest of their meal was quiet. Sasuke didn't care about bringing up topics to discuss and Hinata was just fine eating her soup. He felt quite content as they finished and scratched the back of his neck. It was completely dark outside, and the usual chatter in the restaurant was beginning to dissipate. The busty waitress brought their check and Sasuke handed her a few notes from what Tsunade gave him. Hinata thanked him once, then twice, and a final time as they exited the restaurant. As they walked back down the road, Hinata yawned into her small hand. This tugged a smile from Sasuke's lips and he caught himself. He quickly turned it into a frown.

"Are you coming tomorrow?" He asked. Sasuke didn't mind her around, but it wouldn't bother him much if she wasn't there. He was more curious to know how much extra work he would have to do if she wasn't there.

"Mmhm. Taro seemed eager to help us." She said and smiled.

"Hmm." He said. The Hyuuga mansion was coming into view and Hinata was looking forward to a hot bath and then going to bed early. Sasuke was in dire need of a bath, and he wondered if the hot springs would feel good on his leg. He considered going there. They reached the gate of the Hyuuga mansion and Sasuke stopped for a moment. Hinata smiled.

"See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." She said softly, and turned, walking down the walk-way to the entrance. Sasuke could feel someone's eyes on him, and he watched Neji come out to meet her. His eyes were like daggers at him and Sasuke smirked. Hinata entered the mansion, and Sasuke pushed off his good leg to continue walking. All the while, he sensed Neji following up behind him so he stopped.

"What is it, Hyuuga?" He asked with an annoyed tone. The wind blew back Neji's brown hair and he stopped in front of Sasuke.

"This is the second time I'm hearing of you being with Hinata-san. I'm watching you, Uchiha." Neji said without missing a beat. This got a sharp laugh out of Sasuke and he smirked.

"Whatever it is you think is going on between me and her is all wrong. And don't think I haven't noticed your Byakugan on me. I've got my own set of eyes." Sasuke said. Neji hmphed and turned to walk away. Sasuke was amused, so he continued to poke at his ego.

"Say, didn't you lose to that idiot Naruto at the Chuunin Exams?" Neji stopped walking to turn around to Sasuke. His anger was beginning to bubble, but he didn't show it on his face.

"He was a worthy opponent, unlike you who cheats his way through getting power." Neji said quietly. This made Sasuke laugh again and he got close to Neji.

"What do you call that damn nine-tailed fox chakra? Eh?" Sasuke spat, and his Sharingan activated. His blood was boiling and his adrenaline was creating a high in his brain. _I fucking dare you, Hyuuga._ Even though Neji was angered, he kept his calm composure.

"Naruto has stopped relying on the beast and uses his own strength. In fact, you should know that better than anyone. His fate wasn't optional." Neji said coolly.

"Tch." He was done. Before he did something he regretted, Sasuke turned around to walk away. He decided Neji wasn't worth his breath or his chakra.

"If you lay a finger on Hinata-san…" He warned, and then left that open for Sasuke's imagination. But Sasuke didn't care. He continued to walk away, the Sharingan deactivating. Sasuke wasn't interested in love. Lust was a different thing—he was a young man with hormones but he had yet to act on it. _Love is a waste of time_. He said it over and over in his head even though a small voice told him to stop lying to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Already starting on Chapter 10... I'm getting ahead of myself ;) Not sure how long I want the story to be so we'll just have to see. Once again, thank you for reading.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke opened his eyes and everything around him was peaceful. The sky was clear and in front of him was a grassy hill with a large oak tree on top. The breeze tossed his hair back and forth and the summer air smelled sweet. The sun was in its first stages of setting and Sasuke watched as two ground squirrels scurried between his feet. Two distinct laughs shook him from his thoughts, and he looked up the hill to see two figures at the top. _Mother…_ He could see her long dark hair blowing in the breeze and he smiled. He could also see someone else sitting next to her, but he couldn't make out who it was. His curiosity got the best of him, so he began to walk through the tall grass. Mosquitoes and grasshoppers scattered as he ran up the hill. He could hear them laughing to themselves and he smirked a bit. As soon as he reached the top, he saw them sitting underneath the big oak tree.

"Ahh, Sasuke. You've got dirt on your face." His mother said quietly and the soft smile he remembered so well spread across her lips. It gave him a warm feeling in his stomach that he hadn't felt in so long. It was the feeling of being loved. The person next to his mother laughed a bit as Sasuke rubbed his sleeve on his cheek. It was a girl. Her face was blurry, but she seemed familiar to him.

"She's a very nice and beautiful girl, Sasuke." His mother continued as she nudged the woman next to her. Sasuke felt puzzled, as he tried to pinpoint who was sitting next to his mother. He frowned and knelt down in front of the girl. Her face was fuzzy. She had long hair too, just like his mother, and she smelled nice. It was a subtle vanilla smell… not too strong. Suddenly, the girl reached out with her thumb to touch his cheek.

"You missed a spot." Her voice was sweet and, without his consent, his cheeks flushed. His mother was amused at this.

"He's just like his father. Always trying to be so tough, but we all know he's got a good heart." She said with a giggle.

Sasuke looked away, embarrassed again. The feelings in his stomach and in his chest were so strange to him. Sasuke wouldn't normally behave this way, but it was like his body was moving on its own free will. Everything seemed so simple and _nice._ Sasuke looked over at his mother and she was smiling. He had missed her so much. Sasuke laid down on his back and he could feel the grass tickling his arms, but he didn't mind. The girl scooted up, and lifted his head into her lap. It was peaceful. It was how he had always envisioned being with someone if he ever, well, dated. She moved a few locks of hair away from his eyes and he shuddered at her touch. The strange thing was he didn't feel vulnerable or angry. Sasuke felt… happy. It was a feeling he decided he enjoyed. He looked up and focused on her face. It was still blurry, but he could tell his mother was right- she _was _beautiful. Sasuke inhaled the breeze that blew and rested his eyes.

A crack of thunder jerked him up, and everything was different; the sky was dark and cloudy and the ground underneath him became slippery. Sasuke yelped in horror as he stood up. The hill was gone, the warmth of the sun was gone, and all he could hear was the sounds of slithering snakes. They covered the ground around him and hissed angrily. He felt them slither around his ankles and wrap around his calves. Sasuke struggled and began to get nervous. There was only _one_ man who favored his snakes more than himself. He tried to activate his Sharingan but it was as if all of his chakra was drained because nothing happened. Sasuke felt helpless. He looked around desperately for his mother and the girl but they were gone.

"Damnit!" He said and tried to kick off the snakes. But within seconds, they were back at his feet. They slithered around his ankles, and sweat dripped down his forehead.

"Sasuke-kun…" That evil voice made his stomach churn and he looked around wildly. _Orochimaru…_ The snakes' grips on his legs were getting tighter, and ahead of him he saw Orochimaru's eyes. "I've seen your brother. He tells me how disappointed he is in you." His voice was like nails on a chalkboard and a sharp pain pulsed in his brain. It was blinding and he threw up his hands to his head to make it stop.

"Sasuke-kun, you're pitiful. You've gotten weak…" His voice made the pain increase in his head and he did everything he could not to cry out. "The power I provided you with was a waste…You couldn't even follow through with the revenge you wanted so desperately. You had to rely on Naruto-kun to carry out your dirty work." His menacing laugh echoed in his brain and Sasuke could no longer take it. He screamed.

"You're all alone, now. No one wants to love a failure. No one wants to love someone as pitiful as _you." _Orochimaru's voice was now a whisper in his ear and Sasuke he opened his eyes to see Itachi inches away from his face. Was this some kind of genjutsu? He was staring into his brother's eyes and his anger began to rise. Sasuke hadn't seen him since that day he attacked Konoha.

"Sasuke. You are a sad excuse for an Uchiha… and a brother." He said. Sasuke stared at him and tried over and over again to activate his Sharingan. Even his Chidori wasn't forming in his hand. He wanted to settle the score right there and get _his _revenge. His brother took one step back and began to laugh manically. This confused Sasuke, as his brother rarely behaved that way. Itachi reached up to his own face and started to pull off his flesh, until those familiar snake eyes were revealed.

"No one wants to love a failure." Orochimaru said again and Sasuke felt like his head was going to explode from the pain. Suddenly, he could hear that girl's voice calling him from far away.

"Sasuke-kun!" The pain in his head started to dissolve away, until he felt himself being jerked around. "Sasuke-kun! Wake up!" He opened his eyes and saw Hinata leaning over him with a look of worry in her eyes. She gasped when he opened his eyes and his Sharingan was circling. Sasuke's heart was racing and he was drenched with sweat. The dream felt so _real_. He sat up quickly and looked around. Neither Orochimaru or Itachi were anywhere to be found.

"Holy _shit_ is everything okay!? I heard screaming like someone was being murdered." Masaru barged into the Headquarter building huffing and heaving.

"Yes…everything is okay." Hinata said while her eyes watched Sasuke. It scared her half to death. He rubbed his eyelids and allowed his Sharingan to disappear. _What is going on…?_ _Just a dream… just a dream… _The dream had started off so peaceful. He remembered his mother and... her. Looking over at Hinata, he suddenly felt shy. It was Hinata who was in his dream and they shared somewhat of an intimate moment. She smiled reassuringly and reached up to wipe his face.

"Um...You've got dirt on your cheek…" Hinata said softly and Sasuke pulled away from her. She frowned a bit but she didn't seem too surprised. Sasuke never cared for anyone touching him and she wasn't sure why the impulse to wipe his face even came to her. Sasuke looked over at Masaru and realized he over slept.

"I'm fine." Sasuke got up to his feet and his legs felt wobbly. He kept his composure but on the inside, his mind was racing. Dreams were always such a strange thing and they always exposed a person's subconscious weaknesses. They made things come to light that a person is always trying to forget. Hinata stood up as well and she was still worried. She had arrived just before Masaru and Taro came with their cart. She was surprised that Sasuke wasn't already up, and went to investigate to make sure everything was okay. That was when she heard him screaming and rolling around in his sleeping bag. It took some strength (and courage) to get close to him because he was tossing and turning so violently.

"Sasuke-kun, are you sure?" Her voice was soft like silk, just like it was in his dream.

"Yes." Sasuke replied to her sharply. He peeled off his sweat-drenched shirt and threw it in the corner of his area. Hinata's face turned a shade of pink and she looked away from him. Seeing a man shirtless was always such an awkward thing for her. Whenever Kiba would take off his shirt to go swimming with Akamaru, she always made sure not to look. Kiba enjoyed teasing her modesty by chasing her around asking for a hug. Of course, she never had to worry with Shino because he kept himself well hidden behind his jacket at all times. Masaru coughed a bit trying to remind them he was there.

"Well, we're here whenever you're ready to get to work." He said, and left the old building. Hinata bit her lower lip, and she decided to leave him alone for a while. His screams still rang in her mind and it made her feel sick to her stomach. She walked out towards the cart and Taro ran over towards her.

"Hinata-san!" He said and hugged her legs. She smiled and ruffled his black hair. Sasuke could hear them outside and he dumped some water over his head from his water bottle. _That bastard still haunts me..._ Sasuke wiped his face with his arm and he felt a little better. Some hard work would help him get the dream off his mind. He put on a clean shirt and stretched his legs a little. His injury was healing slowly, but it was feeling good enough that he could get rid of his crutch. Sasuke pulled on his shoes and walked out. He squinted in the sun and saw Masaru had already called forth Nezumi and several smaller rats to help bring in the debris they didn't get to yesterday.

"Let's go, Uchiha. Remember we're on a tight schedule." Masaru called out to him and Sasuke ignored him. Taro smiled brightly.

"Sasuke-san!" Sasuke gave the boy a small nod of acknowledgement. Masaru spit to the side and commanded his rats to pick up the pace. Hinata and Taro were already quick to work collecting the debris from the rats just as they had before. Sasuke crossed his arms for minute and looked over at the old man.

"Well, this is getting done fast." He said. Masaru nodded.

"Yeah but we don't get their help when we start buildin'. I was thinking that we get done early this afternoon and figure out what it is you want rebuilt here." He said. Sasuke didn't say anything. He was in a trance, watching the rats go back and forth picking up wood, rocks, cement, etc. What _did_ he want rebuilt? Of course he needed a house… Luckily money wasn't an issue as the old man was doing this for Tsunade for whatever reason. The only issue was time. If he wanted a house that was big, it would take too long. But he didn't want to live in a hut, either. Sasuke had a little less than three months… which seemed impossible considering it was just the two of them working on it. There was no way this would work.

The day went on and all of them, with help of the rats, worked quickly to get almost all of the debris cleared out. With 100+ rats working at fast paces, it worked in their favor. Sasuke would glance over at Hinata every few moments and he noticed the gash on her forehead was healing. The sleeves on her jacket were rolled up past her elbows and he figured she wouldn't _dare_ take off her jacket. She was too innocent and his cheeks went hot when he thought about what might be hidden underneath. _What the hell..._He was a hormonal teenager, though, so it shouldn't have surprised him too much. Taro was even breaking a sweat as he was racing to meet the rats and then scrambling back to the cart.

In the late afternoon, Nezumi lifted the last large chunk of concrete into the cart with his tail and yawned.

"Finally we're all done, Masaru." He said while he nuzzled Taro with his giant nose and whiskers. He giggled and the old man dusted off his hands.

"Good work, Nezumi. Thanks for all your help." He looked out towards the crowd of rats who squeaked with exhaustion. Nezumi grinned.

"Be good for your grandfather. He still thinks he's young!" His tail swayed back and forth. Hinata wiped sweat from her cheek and heaved a sigh of relief. Sasuke crossed his arms when Masaru spit in the large rat's direction.

"God damnit, I'm not OLD!" Hinata brought a hand up to hide her laughter and Nezumi disappeared in a puff of smoke before he got hit. Taro tugged on his grandpa's finger.

"Say grampa… I'm hungry." He said and rubbed his belly. Masaru sighed with a satisfied smile and picked up his grandson in his big arms.

"I know. Alright you two," He looked over at Hinata and Sasuke. "Let's go get something to eat… it'll be my treat for all the hard work. Besides, we got shit to talk about." Hinata never really cared for cursing. Her clan was always so dignified and she only ever heard her father curse once at her late uncle. But she was actually used to hearing Kiba cursing and even a quiet Shino would show his frustrations on a rare occasion. Sasuke decided not to turn down the old man's offer. He'd need to speak with Tsunade about missions one of these days so he'd have some kind of income.

They all walked into the village and Taro was excited to be getting another amazing meal. He held tightly onto Hinata's hand as he pulled her forward. She of course allowed him to do this. Sasuke and Masaru followed behind a ways. He looked over at the man and he was curious of him. But he was more curious about what he owed the Hokage to make him be stuck doing work for three months.

"I take it you did something like peek in at the Hokage in the bath house?" Sasuke asked with a smirk and he put his hands in his pockets. Masaru laughed lightly while scratching the back of his bald head.

"I wish." He said and thought back to how she almost killed Jiraiya for trying to see her naked. "Nah I lost a pretty bad bet. You know how she likes to gamble on the side… a Hokage shouldn't be doing such things but she does anyway."

"How much did you lose?"

"Ahhh, let's just say three months is a very generous IOU." He said. "But I gambled for good reasons. I lost my wife a few years ago while I was away on a mission. After that, I decided to quit being a Konoha ninja and look after my daughter and Taro." Sasuke didn't really care for life stories. Everyone had their baggage and their burdens. But it also answered his next question about the summoning and ninjutsu.

"Hinata-san, where should we go!?" Taro asked ahead of them. Masaru smiled softly.

"My daughter hates ninja. Her husband was one and…well, he died in combat when the Sand attacked during the Chuunin exam. She refuses to let Taro think or talk about it. Needless to say, we've had our fair share of losses due to being ninja." Sasuke frowned and thought back to that time. It was shortly after Orochimaru gave him the curse mark. He wasn't sure why he suddenly felt so guilty. Ninja died all the time. It was a huge part of being ninja—they die in honor for Konoha. And it happened all around Sasuke, and he's even felt the blood of those whom he's killed. He snorted slightly trying to ignore his guilty conscious.

"Death is always a risk when you become a ninja." Sasuke said, and if Masaru was offended, he didn't show it. A silence fell between the two when Taro decided on a restaurant ahead.

"Mom takes me here sometimes. They have yummy things here." He said and smiled up at Hinata. She knelt down in front of him and brushed some dirt off his nose.

"Gosh, you've been such a big help lately. I'm sure Sasuke-kun thinks so, too." She smiled as Masaru and Sasuke caught up. Taro looked at Sasuke and smiled. He felt his eyes yearning to roll irritably, but he refrained. Instead he looked at Hinata. Being so nice to children came naturally to her and here he was having to physically stop himself from coming across as a total asshole to this kid.

"Alright, squirt. Let's eat here then." Masaru said. They entered the restaurant and sat down at a table. Taro refused to sit by anyone but Hinata and he seemed proud to be with the only girl in the group. This worked out just fine for Masaru and Sasuke as they had important things to discuss. The old man opened a blank scroll and looked over at the Uchiha.

"Gimme your ideas, kid." He said while his calloused hands picked up a pencil. Sasuke folded his elbows on the table and sat silent for a moment. Truth be told, he wasn't sure. They couldn't build an entire district because there would only be one resident.

"Er… I was thinking of a house, of course." Sasuke said thoughtfully. "And…I was wondering about a memorial as well." Masaru began to scribble down ideas. Hinata bit her lower lip as she watched. This was an important time for Sasuke as they were beginning the blue prints and plans for the district. She didn't think it would be appropriate to interrupt with an idea she had.

"'kay. Anything else?" The old man asked. At this point in time, a waitress had greeted them. After several moments of Taro's indecision to have juice or tea, he finally decided on water. Sasuke rubbed his temples and stared at the scribbles on the scroll.

"Yeah but we don't have the time for it." Sasuke said as the waitress arrived back with their drinks. Hinata poured herself a cup of hot tea and sipped on it. All the while, she kept an eye on Taro. Masaru grinned.

"See, here's where it gets funny. Even though you guys think I'm fucking old, I'm fucking _good_. I came from a family of construction so I work faster than the average guy." Sasuke seemed amused at this and choked back a bitter laugh with some tea. Hinata hid a smile behind her hand and gazed at Sasuke. His hair had a nice way of settling around his face, and every so often, it would get in his eyes and he would angrily bat it away. It was strange that they had little to no interaction their whole lives, and now something was bringing them together. In fact, Naruto was barely on her mind as she was preoccupied with helping Sasuke in his district. Sasuke leaned back and stretched. His back was stiff and his leg was beginning to hurt. He should probably go see the Hokage here pretty soon and ask her nicely to heal him up again.

After a few minutes of going back and forth between things that were and were not doable for them, the waitress took their order of food. A silence overcame them as Masaru rolled the scroll back up and put it in his pocket. Hinata decided now was her chance.

"Um… Sasuke-kun?" He had almost forgotten about her since she was so quiet. He sipped his tea and looked at her.

"Hmm?"

"I was just wondering if… a garden would be a good addition to the memorial?" Sasuke didn't say anything for a while. He thought as to whether or not it would be a good idea.

"No." Sasuke said bluntly, setting down his cup of tea. Hinata bowed her head and nodded. Masaru watched the life in her eyes disappear and he glared over at Sasuke.

"Oh? Why not?" He asked the Uchiha.

"Because I don't know anything about flowers and I don't want to have to bother with it." Sasuke defended his answer. It was true. He had zero talent in gardening and if he was gone on missions then there would be no point. Hinata looked up.

"Not just flowers, though. I was thinking about planting vegetables and fruits there, too." She said. Sasuke kept a firm look at her. _What the hell is her problem? I said no._ When he didn't say anything, Hinata sat up straighter. "I could help you with it. Besides, it would cut down on your grocery expens-"

"Whatever. Do what you want. You're in charge of it which means _you_ plant them, _you_ water them and _you_ take care of them." Sasuke interrupted her and he sipped his tea, angry that he gave in to her. In reality, it was a good idea. It would make the memorial look more respectful and it was a source of food. But Sasuke wasn't the type of person to say yes so quickly. Hinata felt a little triumphant and she smiled. Her clan planted herbs, fruits and vegetables so this would be something she could at least contribute to. Taro hugged Hinata's arm and looked excited.

"Can I help you, Hinata-san?" He asked and stared up at her with those big brown eyes. Hinata nodded happily. At this point, their meal had arrived and it was relatively quiet. Taro would squirm every so often, in which Hinata would remind him that if he wanted to be big and strong, he would have finish his food. This prompted him to go to town and the sound of his chop sticks hitting the bowl made Masaru give one of his big laughs. Sasuke secretly smiled into his cup of tea.

After they had eaten, Taro looked up at Hinata wearily. His eyelids were getting heavy and Hinata smiled. He was a tired boy; he helped move rocks all day and ate a big meal. She stood up and bowed to Masaru.

"Thank you very much, Masaru-san. I'll take Taro outside for a bit of fresh air." The old man nodded at her as she gathered the little boy in her arms. Sasuke watched her walk out with Taro's head resting on her shoulder. Something stirred inside his stomach again, and the feeling he felt in his dream had returned. His mind wanted to associate it with 'happiness' but his ego set that thought on fire. The two men got up after Masaru paid for their meal and walked towards the door.

"Same time tomorrow?" Sasuke asked when they got outside. The old man nodded and looked over at Hinata who was holding a sleeping boy on a bench. He looked back at Sasuke.

"You got a good woman." He said. Sasuke laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Nope. Not even close."

"Well here's a tip, Uchiha." Masaru looked over to make sure she wasn't paying attention. "Girls like that one right there are hard to find. Don't take that shit for granted or you'll end up pissed off for the rest of your life." Sasuke rolled his eyes and grunted. This guy obviously didn't know much about the cold hearted Uchiha Sasuke. A breeze flew past them and Sasuke closed his eyes. He had a feeling of excitement as things were starting to finally come together with his district. He wondered if he father would approve of the choices he was making. Which prompted him to think back to his dream. He wondered if somehow Orochimaru was still able to fuck with him even though he was dead. It really wouldn't surprise him, considering the power Orochimaru had. But was he really able to talk to Itachi in the afterlife?

"Well, Taro is all tuckered out so we'll be back tomorrow." Masaru said and he walked towards Hinata. She got up carefully and handed the sleeping boy to him.

"He has so much energy that he wears himself out." She said with a small chuckle. The old man nodded and stared down at Taro.

"Yeah, he gets that from his papa. Thanks for taking care of him. He's always lookin' for someone to latch onto." Sasuke watched them talk and he didn't feel like waiting any longer. He turned to walk back down the way towards his district. Hinata looked over and noticed that Sasuke was walking away. She bowed quickly and thanked Masaru again, then followed after Sasuke. When Hinata caught up to him, they walked in silence.

Sasuke kept going over the words that Masaru said to him in his head, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he was beginning to get to the age where he would have to start thinking of getting married and continuing on the Uchiha name. Or maybe it was because the dream with her in it had been on his mind almost all day. He really wasn't sure and it irritated him. This wasn't the Sasuke he used to be, but when you're no longer in ties with the feared Orochimaru, or seeking revenge, life had to return to 'normal' at some point.

The familiar path they took was nice. Neither spoke because neither had to. They didn't need small talk to enjoy each other's company. Soon, the Hyuuga mansion was in view and Hinata exhaled a bit. Sasuke glanced over to her after hearing her sigh. She had been spending a lot of time with him, and the only time she was really at home was at night. Maybe she was using him to get away from her father. He smirked a bit. He _was_ the bad boy type to piss of her father. It was especially fitting since their clans rarely ever got along. As they got closer to the entrance to the mansion, Sasuke secretly hoped Neji was watching him.

"G-Good bye Sasuke-kun." Hinata said and turned to walk into the mansion. He nodded his good-bye as he continued to walk. His eyes watched her go in just to make sure, and Sasuke continued on back to what would soon be his rebuilt home.


	8. Chapter 8

It finally happened. I've finally got writer's block. I'm trying to start on Chapter 11 but I'm not too sure how to start it. The good news is you don't have to worry about it :D Here's an already-done chapter. Woooo hoooo. Once again, I appreciate every single follow, favorite and review.

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The next day began as usual; Sasuke woke up and waited for Masaru to get there so they could start fine tuning their plans on the house. Taro was as cheerful as ever, but after a while, Hinata still had not come as she usually did. This didn't really bother Sasuke at first. Perhaps she had training or something going on at home and he figured she would show up eventually. She always did. Masaru leaned forward on the floor in the Police Headquarters as he began to carefully draw out the blueprints for the house. Every so often, he would ask Sasuke questions like how many rooms, or windows, and Sasuke would reply. If it was too much to get build, Masaru would warn him about time and Sasuke would counter with something rude.

After a few hours of this process, there was a finished product on the blueprints and the old man turned around his papers for Sasuke to have a look. When he did, he had no idea what he was looking at. Construction and the math it took to get the dimension correct were all foreign to him.

"I don't know what the hell any of this is, old man." He said after he took a swig of water from a bottle. Masaru sighed.

"I _know_ dipshit, but this is gonna be your house so look at the writing in the corner. That is the basic line up of your house. All the bedrooms and bathrooms you wanted are numbered there along with the other things you wanted." Taro ran into the building after playing outside for a while and he tugged at his grandfather's sleeve.

"Hinata-san still isn't here, grampa." Masaru rolled up the papers with all of the plans on it and popped his grandson on the head with it.

"I don't blame her. If I had the choice, I wouldn't wanna be around Sasuke all damn day." He said. Taro still wasn't satisfied and he pouted. Sasuke rolled his eyes, even though he was also wondering where the hell she was. Maybe he angered her the other day, but he couldn't think of anything rude he said out of the ordinary. His ego came busting into his mind and he dismissed the thoughts. _Who cares?_ He didn't need her there and he certainly wasn't going to dwell on it. Masaru got up and grunted.

"Fuck, I'm getting too old for this shit." He rubbed his back.

"So you admit it?" Sasuke asked with a look of amusement on his face.

"Shut the hell up. Let's go Taro. I promised your mother I wouldn't bring you home exhausted again." Sasuke frowned.

"What? We aren't going to do anything today?" The old man brushed off his pants and eyed him.

"Well _you_ might not have done anything but I spent hours grueling over your damn blue prints. Go out and socialize or something cause you need it." Taro walked over to Sasuke and his bottom lip trembled.

"W-Will you tell Hinata-san t-that I missed her today?" His eyes were beginning to swell with tears and Sasuke had no idea what to do. He forced a smile and nodded. Taro smiled and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck.

"Alright, god damnit, let's go Taro." Even though Masaru cursed in front of his grandson, Taro was too young to understand and probably too naïve to repeat them. Taro got another boost of energy and he followed Masaru out the building. Sasuke exhaled and rolled over on his back. He watched the sunshine of the late afternoon dance through the broken beams above him. Now might be a good time to go see Tsunade and ask her some questions while he had the time. Sasuke sat up and put on his shoes. Before he left the district, he pocketed the Uchiha pendant from the old box that Hinata had found.

Sasuke strolled through the village and watched as the children played with their toy kunai in the streets. It reminded him of when he was younger and he aspired to be like his brother. He never realized the expectations his father had for him, though. Sasuke recalled spending days practicing his fire jutsus in front of the lake just to get his father to look at him. _Ch... almost seems like a waste now. _He kicked a rock and Hinata came back to mind. He wondered if she ever felt the same way. Her father, Hiashi, was always a stern looking guy and he couldn't even imagine how frail he made her look. They had more in common than he originally thought, and yet they still came out completely different. A yawn escaped his lips and he could tell he was getting lazy. He needed to train. Maybe he would ask Tsunade if his leg was good to go for that. Sasuke forgot how boring his life was now, without anyone around to keep him entertained or without any training. The old man was fun to irritate and even the kid had his moments. And… of course Hinata was usually nice to have around.

He took his time getting to the Hokage's office, partly because he was still feeling lazy and partly because his leg was stiff. Once Sasuke reached the office door, he knocked and barged in as usual. Tsunade looked up from her paper work with surprise.

"Uchiha Sasuke." His name rolled off her tongue as if she was just waiting for a gracious 'thank you for helping me rebuild my district' from him. Well she wasn't getting it. Sasuke stood in front of her desk and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I have some things I need answered." He demanded rather casually. Sasuke never bothered with formalities. Kakashi was just Kakashi to him and Orochimaru…well, he wasn't shit to him either. And the story was the same for the high and mighty Hokage. Tsunade had gotten used to his attitude and she leaned back in her chair very curious to see what his 'demands' were.

"First things first—how is your leg?"

"Not good enough." Sasuke replied. Tsunade smirked and stood up from her chair. He knew her bitching was coming so he braced himself.

"Well if you had stayed in the hospital like any other normal human being then you wouldn't have these problems." Tsunade scolded and she approached him.

"It's still painful after I've been walking around on it and it gets stiff." Tsunade nodded to his symptoms and applied some healing chakra to his thigh.

"Well, give it a few more days and keep doing those leg exercises I showed you. Otherwise, you'll be fine." He crossed his arms after she had finished and Tsunade went to lean up against her desk. "I know you have a hard time following instructions, but as for your training, you may start slowly. Don't over exert yourself and learn some limits for your body. I don't know the reason why you would want to continue to train, though." He eyed her suddenly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you aren't a Konoha ninja anymore." She said bluntly. Two could play at this game and if he was going to be brutally honest all the time, so could she. The familiar anger he so cherished began to build in his body again.

"What the hell?!" He said and Tsunade smiled sweetly just to tick him off more.

"Uchiha, you haven't been a resident here for over three years. You went along with Orochimaru and almost destroyed my village. I don't trust a single thing you say, so why the hell would I want you to carry out missions?" She said watching him closely. Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but he had nothing to come back at her with. What she said was basically the truth, but he didn't want to hear it. She continued.

"While you were out being a brat, everyone else in your grade has surpassed you in rank. Just because you've trained with Orochimaru doesn't mean shit to me as far as missions go. So until you can gain my trust, then you won't be put on the roster for when missions resume." Tsunade finished what she was saying and stared at him. Sasuke laughed. _This is hilarious. This bitch thinks she is so great… _

"Whatever! I don't need your fucking missions." He spat at her and she shrugged her shoulder.

"Well good! Then there shouldn't be a problem then, right?" She was really pushing him and she knew it. In reality, Tsunade was testing him to see just how much of a ticking time bomb he was. She couldn't put others in danger simply because the boy couldn't control himself. Sasuke was about to blow up her newly renovated office when he remembered the pendant in his pocket. He pulled it out and showed it to her. She recognized it instantly, thinking back to when Hinata brought her the box.

"The Hyuuga girl said it had its own chakra source." Tsunade nodded and pushed herself off the edge of her desk. She took it from him and then put the necklace around his neck. It looked good on him and he resembled his father. Tsunade offered him a genuine smile.

"It's got your father's chakra. Sasuke, you have a piece of him hanging around your neck." She said softly. He stared at her for a moment, and then looked down at the Uchiha pendant hanging on his chest. Emotion was fighting to be released but Sasuke would rather die than cry in front of this woman.

"It's a memento handed down through the generations in the Uchiha clan. Your father had his father's chakra in it and so on. You aren't totally alone, Sasuke." She said gently. Tsunade crossed her arms and looked on as Sasuke stared at the pendant. He didn't say anything for a long time so she spoke again.

"If you would just let us help you, I promise on my life, you won't ever be alone. I'm not saying that because I'm the Hokage, but I'm saying this because I understand." Sasuke swallowed a lump in his throat and closed his eyes. A single tear escaped down his cheek and he cursed himself under his breath. He spent years upon years building up the rocky exterior mainly to keep people out. He never wanted another person to form a bond with him. He never wanted to feel that wretched pain of losing someone close ever again. Sasuke was afraid to let that wall down because he honestly had no idea who he was without anger and the hunger for revenge. Tsunade smiled slightly and acted as if she didn't see his tears. _Men and their pride…ch._

"Anything else I can do for you, Uchiha?" He didn't say anything. Instead he turned around and left her office. Tsunade sighed gently and bowed her head. Naruto had just been released from the hospital yesterday. He begged her to find Sasuke so he could see him, but Tsunade refused and made Sakura promise not to go looking. She knew that it was best that they were apart for now. Sasuke needed to start getting his life back in control and if rebuilding his district meant he was rebuilding himself, then that was fine with her.

Sasuke pulled himself together outside of her office and he suddenly felt stupid. She better not rub that in his face later. That was the last thing he wanted people to know him for was crying in the Hokage's office like a child. As he walked down the stone steps from the Hokage's building, the pendant bounced on his chest. Sasuke felt content wearing it knowing that a part of his father-and clan-still lived on.

The village was bustling with people, which was unusual for the evening times. Then he remembered it was the weekend, and shops stayed open later than usual. He decided he should stock up on some food he could prepare back at the district. He ignored people whispering to each other as he walked by. Some were terrified of him and others were angry at him for being partially responsible for the damage to Konoha. Now he knew how Naruto felt all those years.

The sound of laughter caught his attention momentarily as he looked onward. Sasuke saw two girls dressed in bright kimonos treating themselves to some sweets at a vendor. He furrowed his eyebrows and suddenly he realized he was staring at Hinata and her sister. Sasuke stopped walking and just stared in her direction. Her kimono was dark purple with lightly colored cherry blossoms, which complimented her figure nicely. Hinata's long hair was pulled back into a neat bun with pink cherry blossom flowers tucked into it. The hair that framed her face was left out as usual, and Sasuke wasn't sure if he should say 'hi' like an idiot or try to hide. It would be utterly embarrassing for him to get caught staring, if not _drooling_ at her. But it was too late. Hinata had felt someone's eyes on her and she turned to see him. Hinata blushed furiously. She looked over at Hanabi, who had also noticed him, and she grinned as she poked Hinata in the arm.

"Hey, isn't that Uchiha Sasuke?" Hanabi asked as if she had no idea. Hinata squirmed and felt Hanabi shove her forward to go talk to him. She almost fell, but Hinata quickly balanced herself. Sasuke looked clueless as she approached him and he tried to act as if he didn't care.

"S-Sasuke-kun… I'm sorry I wasn't around today." She said, and the breeze blew her sweet vanilla scent around him. He groaned on the inside and shifted his weight. Sasuke refused to admit to himself that she looked beautiful. The kimono hugged her curves perfectly and she was even wearing make-up. Not to mention, he could see her face more clearly with her hair up. Sasuke thought about ignoring her and walking away, but he remembered Taro's request from earlier, grateful to have something to say to her.

"Taro said he missed you." He said sheepishly. Hinata smiled and looked down at her sandals.

"Truthfully, I missed him too." She said. "There was a wedding in our family today. So I had to be there with Hanabi." Sasuke nodded and he tried to avoid her gaze. He wondered if she missed _him_. Of course Sasuke quickly dismissed that thought as if his ego was on patrol inside his mind. Hinata suddenly noticed the Uchiha pendant Sasuke was wearing.

"Oh. Did you ask Tsunade-sama about this?" Hinata leaned in a bit to see it more clearly and Sasuke cringed a bit. Nothing like this ever happened with Sakura (or any other girl) and he felt like a stupid child. He didn't need love. _That's a lie._ He didn't need her around. _That's another lie._

"Mmhmm." He tried to concentrate on their conversation, but the words weren't forming very well. "It's like…a memento from my father." Hinata pulled away and suddenly her face became saddened. If Sasuke could punch himself, he would—many times. _This is the stupidest thing…_

"I see." She glanced over her shoulder to see Hanabi holding up a thumbs up. _Hanabi! _She looked back to Sasuke and he looked extremely uncomfortable. Hinata had never seen him fidget before and she wondered if maybe he was upset from his talk with Tsunade.

"Well, I've got to get going now. I will be over tomorrow." She said softly. He nodded and watched her walk back over to Hanabi. They were beginning to fret in high pitch voices and Sasuke decided that was his cue to get the fuck out of there. Once he was past them, he finally exhaled his breath. This behavior was so unlike him that he actually got angry about it.

During his entire grocery shopping trip, Sasuke walked around the store mindlessly looking at the products on the shelf. This 'normal life' bullshit was foreign to him and the fact that Tsunade wasn't allowing him on missions was another thing that pissed him off. The reasonable part of his brain fought his ego once more and he figured it was best that he focus on one thing at a time for now. His father came back into his mind and Sasuke recalled trying to master a few simple jutsu. His father offered him some advice now and then. _Your brain can only process so many things at once; with the conjuring of chakra added onto the hand movements and stance, you must focus on one thing at a time._ _Then slowly add them together_. Sasuke put a hand on the pendant around his neck and he felt his emotions tugging in his eyes again. _Father… you left me with more than I ever thought._

* * *

The next morning, Sasuke lay on his back in his sleeping bag, just staring at the Uchiha pendant. He didn't sleep very well mainly because of what the Hokage revealed to him yesterday. _You're not totally alone_. He felt alone, though. Even though he was surrounded by Masaru and Hinata all day there was just something he felt missing throughout his days. Everyone else was avoiding him (not that he cared). Kakashi hadn't been to see him since he was in the hospital, and even dumb shit and Sakura hadn't been curious enough to come pester him. Everything that he planned for was completely changed. Sasuke figured that after he killed his brother, he would die alongside of him. He never planned on staying alive and having to live a normal life again.

The clouds were dominant over the sun and Sasuke wondered if it would rain. It would make the start of building the house be difficult. He sat up when he heard Masaru's loud voice calling for him. He got up and slipped the pendant underneath his shirt, then walked out of the Headquarters. Everyone was waiting on him, but he noticed that Taro was missing.

"Where is Taro?" Hinata asked Masaru as he motioned his oxen to stop. They pulled a trailer full of supplies behind them and Sasuke could feel his stomach flop. It was finally going to happen- the rebuilding of the Uchiha district. He was excited on the inside, mainly because it would be nice to sleep in a real building soon.

"He's sick today. Besides, there ain't much for him to help with today." He looked over to Sasuke who was approaching them. Hinata thought back to their encounter yesterday. She was never one to draw a lot of attention to herself, especially when she was all dressed up. Hanabi insisted that she go with her to get some sweets at the vendors, and Hinata didn't feel right letting her go on her own.

"Yo Uchiha. I'm going to be startin' on the foundation for the house today." Masaru said as he held on tightly to the blue prints.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked, slipping his hands in his pockets. Masaru scratched the back of his head and grinned.

"Stay the hell outta my way. No offense, but you don't know shit about this. It would be way easier if I worked on my own today." Sasuke frowned, but if it would be faster for the old man, then this would be the perfect opportunity for him to resume his training. He looked over at Hinata; she looked the same as usual. Her make-up was gone, her hair was down, and she wore her normal attire.

"Hyuuga." She glanced over in his direction and her cheeks flushed at the sudden attention from him.

"Yes?"

"Are the training grounds still intact?"

"U-Um no. There are temporary ones a few blocks away from here, though."

"Take me to them." Sasuke said and he started to walk past her. He had done some stretching and leg exercises last night, and his leg felt great. He was ready to get his adrenaline pumping and do something that was familiar to him. Hinata took him on the short walk on the outskirts of the village and through the forest line. Sasuke followed behind her and began to feel a burst of energy as a clearing ahead of them came to view. There was plenty of space for him to practice throwing kunai, as he noticed targets set up. Hinata watched him stretch for a moment and she felt the breeze blow back her hair. He probably wanted to be alone, so she turned to leave. The whistle of a kunai whizzing by her ear caused her to jump, and she looked back wildly at him. He stood with a smirk.

"What are you doing?" He asked. She suddenly felt embarrassed.

"Well… I was going to-"

"Spar with me." Sasuke said simply as he stared her. Hinata blinked a bit, surprised by this. When she didn't say anything, Sasuke lurched forward at her and this triggered her ninja senses. She dodged a blow to her shoulder, and he didn't hold back. Hinata continued to dodge his attacks, barely putting up an offense, which irritated him.

"Come on, Hyuuga." He growled. "Show me what you've got!" Hinata felt the adrenaline in her body kick in and her Byakugan activated. She could see the large amount of chakra in his body and even though it had been over a month since he had done much, he was making little to no mistakes. Hinata jumped out of his way and onto a tree branch. Sasuke smirked. He was surprised at her skill, specifically her quick reactions and chakra control. Sasuke thought about using his Sharingan, but this was more of a dry run for him to get his mind in the right place. A few kunai came at him and he dodged them easily. He felt Hinata's presence behind him, so he whipped around to a fist coming toward him. He caught it in his hand and she was quick to provide him with a good offense. It was thrilling for him to get back into doing what he loved most. Sweat began to form on her forehead, and he could even feel his body reacting to the sudden exercise.

"Don't…underestimate…me!" She said, with confidence to her voice and Sasuke smirked. She knew that he was holding back and so his Sharigan finally decided to come out to play. This made it a lot easy to predict her moves, and they went back and forth for a few moments. Hinata noticed his moves getting more and more difficult to dodge, and he was moving a lot faster than before. One of her punches finally landed on his jaw, and Sasuke disappeared with a puff of smoke. Before it could register in her mind, he appeared behind her, and grabbed her arm, pulling it up behind her. The pain in her shoulder was sharp, and she struggled to get out of his grasp. She had been caught! Her knees finally buckled underneath her, he eased her down face first in the grass. He had a firm grasp on her arm, and he was breathing heavily. Sasuke was satisfied and he released her. She lay there for a few minutes trying to catch her breath and he sat next to her doing the same.

Small raindrops began to fall and she rolled over on her back to welcome them. It was a warm day, and the cool feeling of the rain felt great. Sasuke began to stretch his leg muscles while he sat, remembering Tsunade's advice. He, too, thought the rain felt good. They sat in silence, and Hinata closed her eyes. For them, meditating after using their eye jutsu's was always smart since over use can cause permanent damage. Sasuke glanced over at her, and her face was peaceful. Even without all the make-up, she still looked beautiful to him. Even her pale lips looked soft. The rain drops were light but the sound of them through the trees around them was nice.

"Sasuke-kun?" She asked, with her eyes still closed.

"Hmm?" He mumbled, massaging his leg. Perhaps he went a little too far in training than what Tsunade recommended. She didn't say anything for a moment. Hinata was trying to find the courage to follow through with her question.

"H-Has Naruto-kun always loved Sakura?" She whispered and secretly hoped Sasuke didn't hear it. He did though, and his stomach churned in jealousy. The rain began to pick up a little, and Hinata sat up. She stared at the water droplets that formed on the grass. Hinata hadn't seen Naruto since he was still in a coma. She hadn't forgotten about him, but she was just trying to avoid the real issue at hand. Sasuke wasn't sure what to say. Their team had always been a huge triangle when it came to admiration. But romance was always on the back burner due to the events of a ninja. People always thought Sasuke was just thinking of himself in his actions, and maybe he was. But he was also very observant. He knew that Naruto always wished Sakura would show him the affection he wanted. Sasuke would never understand why the Hyuuga girl had such feelings for him.

"I wouldn't know. I don't follow that idiot's love life." He said simply. Hinata felt her hands form fists. Sasuke always felt such hatred towards his team mate and she had no idea why. Why was he always so bitter towards _everyone_?

"H-He's not an idiot." She said softly. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"If he wants to be Hokage so fucking bad, he should be focusing on that and not love." Sasuke stood and felt rain drops rolling down his cheeks. Hinata stood up, too.

"That s-shouldn't matt-" Hinata tried to say, but Sasuke walked up to her just inches in front of her face.

"He doesn't ever go out of his way to notice you. He doesn't even know that you love him. Why bother with it?!" Sasuke growled, staring into her lavender eyes. His brain was telling him to stop, but his heart was refusing.

"I don't care if he never loves me." She said softly._ That's a lie._ He furrowed his brows out of anger and he gripped her shoulders as if it would help her come to her senses.

"Love is pointless if it's never returned." The words left his mouth bitterly. Hinata was about to open her mouth, when the words left her speechless. Sasuke's eyes were usually empty, but she could see something in them now. _Sorrow._ Their eyes remained locked and a flash of lightning made Hinata look away. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears. Sasuke wasn't sure what to do next, but he didn't want to let go of her. He didn't want her to love Naruto. These thoughts were so foreign to him, but his ego wasn't big enough to will them away anymore. He put a finger on her chin and forced her to look at him. His touch made a shudder go down her back as she looked in his eyes once more. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips looked as soft as ever as the rain drops fell on them. _No…_ She struggled in his grip and eventually she pulled away from him. Hinata turned and ran. The wet grass squished underneath her feet and she didn't look back at him.

_Naruto-kun… why? Why don't you love me?_ Her thoughts were running wild. She loved him for years. She gave him the courage and hope he needed the most and yet… he sought out Sakura. Hinata felt like an idiot. She told Sasuke she didn't care if he never loved her, but she did care. How long could she hold onto the hope of Naruto ever loving her? Hinata ran until her legs could no longer stand it, and she slowed down, before falling to her knees on the outskirts of the village. Her father's voice rang in her mind. _Stop being so weak._ Hinata hugged herself, and bowed her head in the rain. Sasuke was a refreshing way to avoid her feelings for Naruto, and it was especially helpful in her getting over the confession she heard that day at the hospital. She'd try to deny any slight feelings she had developing for him. Hinata would try to deny it until the day Naruto finally loved her.


	9. Chapter 9

Sasuke felt like an idiot. He was forming a bond again with someone. It was something he promised himself _never_ to do. After Hinata had left him standing in the rain, he cursed himself over and over again. This was why he never cared for relationships, or love, because in the end nothing really worked itself out. He basically opened himself up to her and she ran away. He wondered if she would even bother showing up that day. When Sasuke came back from the training grounds yesterday, Masaru had already begun the foundation. The old man even worked in the rain. Sasuke needed to get his priorities back in place—and that was to rebuild his home and pay honor to his clan. Love wasn't a priority and he didn't think it ever would be.

Masaru and Taro arrived that day as usual, and Sasuke watched him work. He felt useless, just sitting there with nothing to do.

"Old man." He said, walking up to him. Masaru stopped hammering a nail and looked over to him.

"What, kid?" He asked, wiping sweat away from his brow.

"Let me help." Sasuke said. Masaru was about to tell him how much easier it would be for him to work alone, but he decided it would be of some use for him to at least bring him the supplies he needed from the trailer. Masaru could tell that Sasuke was anxious to get things rolling. Besides, it was his house, so he should be of some help.

"Alright." He grunted, and stood up looking over to Taro who was feeding the oxen. As soon as the boy set his sights on Sasuke, he dropped what he was doing and ran over to him.

"Hi Sasuke-san!" Taro said and grinned. Sasuke nodded to him.

"I hope Hinata-san comes by today. I have to show her the pretty rock I found!" Sasuke ignored him, and followed Masaru over to the trailer. As he was giving him instructions on what to get, when he needed it, Sasuke tried to concentrate. But the fact that Hinata wasn't there again bothered him. _Concentrate, Sasuke. You need to rebuild the house as soon as possible._

The sun shone brightly down on them as Sasuke worked hard to bring the right sheets of wood and cinder-blocks over when asked. It was harder work than he thought, but he gritted through it without showing any emotion. Sasuke kept thinking about how nice it would be to finally have a bed to sleep in, or how nice it would be to shower whenever. But every few minutes, he would think of her and it was really starting to irritate him. Sasuke heard footsteps behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder.

"Ahhh, Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke saw Yamanaka Ino and his face scrunched in disgust. He remembered her being loud, annoying, and pretty useless during missions. In her arms, she carried a few gardening tools and Sasuke was confused for moment. Hinata followed behind her with a basket in her arms.

"What do you want?" He asked while she came up beside him with a large grin. She didn't take the hint of annoyance in his voice which made him hate her even more.

"Well, Hinata asked me to come out and help her get started on the garden you're going to have!" She smiled sweetly, and he shot Hinata a glare when she reached them.

"Hi Sasuke-kun. S-She knows how to till and get gardens started." Hinata said as she shifted the basket in her arms. Sasuke frowned. She was acting as if nothing happened yesterday. That was probably best—at least she was there. Unfortunately she brought some extra baggage.

"Hinata-san!" Taro ran up to greet her with the small rock in his hand. "I've been waiting for you _all day_. Look at this rock I found!" Hinata set down the basket and knelt down at his level.

"Oh wow, that is pretty. Where did you find it?" She asked as he handed it to her. It was just an ordinary rock, but if it kept him entertained then all the power to him.

"In my backyard. I call it my lucky rock." Taro said proudly and Hinata handed it back to him. She said her greetings to Masaru and then stood back up with the basket. Ino glanced over at Sasuke.

"So, Sasuke-kun, where were you thinking of starting this garden of yours?" She asked. He shrugged his shoulders. Ino scowled a bit and put down the gardening tools. She decided to survey the land. He watched her without emotion on his face, but he was curious.

"Well," Ino said after a few minutes. "Gardens need nice and fertile ground if you want them to be successful. I see some good dirt over there." She pointed about a half a mile from where they were beginning the construction of the house. Sasuke crossed his arms.

"Whatever." Ino scoffed at his response and she picked back up the garden tools. Sasuke watched the two girls begin to walk away over in the direction and he shook his head. He began to get back to work as Masaru was bitching at him to grab him more nails.

"Sooo, Hinata," Ino said curiously as they reached the spot of land she had suggested. "You and Sasuke-kun? That's sure surprising." Hinata felt her cheeks get red and she set down her basket. Ever since yesterday, Hinata felt ashamed. She had left Sasuke standing there in the rain while she addressed her feelings of Naruto for the first time since she fell at the hospital. Hinata had been avoiding the inevitable; she was trying to move on. Naruto would always hold a special place in her heart and she knew that if he ever changed his mind she would be there in an instant. But at this point in time, Hinata needed to focus elsewhere.

"W-We're just friends." Hinata said as the wind whipped back her hair. Ino found this amusing as she put her hands on her hips.

"Uh huh. That's not what I heard." She said and smiled mischievously. Hinata widened her eyes. She should know that Ino was always a gossiper but she never knew that Hinata would be the topic around the village.

"What are people saying?!" Hinata's face was beet red and she wondered if the word had gotten to Naruto. Ino laughed rested her hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"Now, now, no need to worry. I mean if there's nothing going on then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I asked him out?" Hinata felt her stomach do a weird flop at Ino's words and it was the same feeling as when she heard Naruto tell Sakura he loved her. _Jealousy_. She smiled through it and looked over at Ino.

"N-Not at all." Ino smiled and gushed about how much she had missed him since he was gone, and how if only Sakura could see her now. Hinata bent down to pick up the tiller. Ino picked up the other one, and together they worked to unearth the top of the soil. They kept in mind the memorial that Sasuke wanted, one similar to Konoha's for ninja who had died while in combat. The entire time they worked, Hinata would look over in Sasuke's direction. Even though they were far away, she could see him helping Masaru with sheets of wood. Hinata was curious what Sasuke's reaction to Ino wanting to go out with him would be. After about a half an hour, they had gotten a good amount of dirt tilled and Ino wiped her forehead.

"Alright, do you think this is good?" Hinata nodded, and walked towards the basket. Now came the part in planting. They had many different seeds to start with, mainly fruits and vegetables. They divided the work; Ino would dig the holes, and Hinata would drop a seed in and then cover it back it. Both girls made sure enough space was in between depending on the type of vegetable or fruit. They had small talk; everything from Choji managing his own team to Shikamaru working his way in the ranks and becoming a Jonin. Hinata always thought Shikamaru was smart and she knew he would become something great. Ever since Asuma-sensei had died, he became more serious about his work. Ino said she would occasionally see him visiting his grave. It made her feel thankful that her team was so strong.

"Even Temari is visiting more and more frequently." Ino said as she dug the final hole in the ground, and sat down to rest. Hinata smiled as she covered the last seed and sat next to her.

"I saw her with Shikamaru-kun the other day." Hinata recalled, and she hugged her knees close to her chest. Ino smirked and flipped the long locks of hair in her face. It was nice to have some bonding with Ino, even though they had never been close.

"So, Naruto has been awake for a while now." Ino said, looking over to her. Hinata felt her smile fade away and she nodded in response. Everyone around the village knew of Hinata's infatuation with the jinchuuriki, but Ino had noticed an increase of Sakura and Naruto spending time together. She frowned and put an arm around Hinata. Her cheeks flushed at her touch but it was actually something Hinata found soothing. Hinata had many acquaintances, but not many close friends. Kiba and Shino were always there with a shoulder to cry on, but there weren't many girls to confide in.

It was late afternoon now, and Sasuke was drenched in sweat. The house was in its early stages, but things were progressing and that was all he cared about. Masaru rested his hands on his hips and yawned.

"Alright, Uchiha. Let's call it day." Sasuke was about to protest, but he felt exhausted. He looked over in the girl's direction and they were already walking back. Masaru was putting his tools back in the trailer, and Taro was tugging at his pant leg about dinner. Sasuke realized there was a nice routine that had kind of made his life stable. He woke up, helped the old man, ate lunch, resumed working, and then he'd visit the bath house every once in a while. And today was one of those days where he was in dire need of it.

"Sasuke-kuuuuun!" Ino's voice was like nails on a chalk board and he suddenly was very irritated that Hinata had brought her along. Ino was already at his arm, holding it lovingly. "Say, how about we get something to eat? I'm starving." She said with a large smile. Hinata felt her stomach churn once more and her cheeks grew pink. It was something she hated, because just a few months prior Hinata was on missions. She felt she was in a romance novel.

"Get off me." He said and pushed her aside. Ino frowned and they went back and forth for a bit before he finally just ignored her. Hinata decided that she should probably be going. She needed to stop at the grocery store for a few things before heading home.

"Thank you for helping me, Ino. I'll stop by the shop tomorrow and pick up some things." Hinata smiled and handed her the basket.

"Ah it's a shame I have to work or else I'd come help." Sasuke was _thrilled_ hear that she wouldn't be there to bother him again. Ino waved good-bye, which left Hinata and Sasuke alone. She stared at her feet and then looked back at him.

"I-I'm sorry for yesterday." He shrugged his shoulders and began to walk towards the exit of the district. She, of course, followed behind. They walked in silence down the road as they always did. Sasuke wasn't sure if he was mad, annoyed or just tired, but her presence was different today. He wanted to just yell at her and tell her she was wasting her time with Naruto. He couldn't stand seeing her fret. The fact that _he_ was worrying over her made him even more irritated. Hinata could tell something was wrong, but she knew better then to ask. When they were finally about to part ways, Hinata stopped.

"Good bye Sasuke-kun." She said as she always did with her soft voice. Sasuke ignored her and took the path to the bath house. His leg was bothering him again and the warm water would help his muscles. Hinata frowned at his lack of response but she was almost used to it now. She watched him walk away, and continued on towards the grocery store. Hinata almost missed going on missions. It was refreshing to get a change in scenery and just spend time with positive people like Kiba and Shino. After being around Sasuke, she felt emotionally drained. But there was something that still kept her coming back to him and whether it was just seeing Masaru and Taro or being there to help Sasuke when he needed it the most…she wasn't very sure of. The day she attended the wedding was very uneventful and the entire time she yearned to be in the Uchiha district.

"Hinata!" She heard her name, and glanced over her shoulder.

"Oh. Hello Sakura." The pink haired girl approached her right outside of the grocery store and she smiled slightly. Hinata always slightly envied Sakura, not just for being the center of Naruto's affections. The girl had such strength and even got to be an apprentice for Tsunade which gave her merit for being medical ninja. Not to mention, Sakura had a unique beauty about her that Hinata always admired. After she cut her hair, it seemed to transform her from a girl to a woman. She wished she had the same confidence that Sakura had. Maybe that was why Naruto loved her.

"It's been so long since I've seen you. I miss our time in the hospital." She said and ran a hand through her hair. Hinata smiled politely. She couldn't hold a grudge against her simply because Hinata wasn't like that. Besides, it was nice to spend time with other girls.

"Y-yes, me too."

"Naruto has been asking about you." Sakura said. Hinata turned her back to Sakura so she couldn't see her red face. After a few seconds, Hinata turned again. She could hear her heartbeat in her chest and it made her feel dizzy. _He_ made her feel dizzy.

"Really?" Her voice was quiet and she felt butterflies in her stomach. Sakura nodded and folded her hands in front of her.

"He's been doing a lot with Tsunade-sama lately, like paper work and such. Since missions on are hold still he's been keeping himself busy." Sakura said. "I think some of it is to start getting his feet wet for being Hokage." Sakura knew the main reason he was doing it, though. Tsunade was keeping a close eye on him and making sure he was leaving Sasuke alone. Hinata looked down at her feet and she suddenly felt embarrassed. Here she was avoiding Naruto and he was actually asking about her.

"Well that's good." Naruto was always striving for something more and that was something she admired about him. Sasuke was slightly different; he also strived for something more but in the wrong way. He went to the darkness and relied on something other than his own strength to achieve his goals. Hinata frowned when she realized he also failed in that aspect as well.

"So… how is Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked quickly as if that was her main reason for the conversation. Hinata looked back up at her. So gossip was spreading around this village.

"Oh. H-He's in the process of getting a house built." She said and Sakura smiled softly. There was sadness in her eyes and she looked down. Hinata frowned. Sasuke never asked about anyone from Konoha, not even Naruto. It was as if Sakura was wishing he had asked Hinata about her. She also wondered if maybe Sakura still had feelings for him. Hinata knew that you couldn't just stop loving someone because they didn't return them.

"I see. Well, stop by and see Naruto one of these days. He'll take any excuse to get out of his work." Sakura laughed half-heartedly. Hinata promised she would and they said their good-byes. Hinata did her shopping, slowly, her mind racing wondering why Naruto was asking about her. Normally she had missions and training to occupy her time, but with missions not being assigned, there was little to keep her busy. Hinata often wondered if she was using Sasuke as an excuse to avoid her own problems, but she'd never admit it to herself. She was a nice person.

Hinata walked home down the path that she usually shared with Sasuke and it was quite lonely. Months prior, she used to enjoy her walks by herself because it gave her time to meditate. Now she would just remember the time that Sasuke almost tripped over a squirrel scurrying by or when a leaf blew into his face and it brought a smile to her face as she reached the Hyuuga mansion.

Later that night, Hinata had a hard time sleeping. She was exhausted from the work her and Ino did in the garden but her brain wouldn't rest. Getting up from her bed, Hinata walked like a cat through the dark hallways of the mansion. She was careful to avoid any squeaks in the floor boards and then walked outside into their yard. The moon was bright in the sky and ever star seemed to twinkle their greetings to her. This was her favorite spot to come when sleep wasn't easy. Meditating underneath the stars was always something that soothed her and made her sleepy. But tonight, Hinata didn't feel like meditating. She hugged her knees to her chest, and shivered when the wind picked up.

"Cold?" Hinata glanced over her shoulder and saw Neji put a blanket around her shoulders. Her cheeks flushed, almost out of embarrassment, and she smiled.

"T-Thanks." She pulled the blanket around her tighter and Neji sat down next to her. He sat with his back straight, and his hands resting in his lap. Neji was always so grown up and carried himself like an adult at all times. Hinata, on the other hand, would play in the rain when no one was looking and she would even waste time during her training to gather flowers to press in her books. She frowned and wondered if maybe she was too childish.

"It is late. Why are you still up?" Neji interrupted her thoughts. The breeze blew back his long hair, and his lavender eyes focused on the bright moon.

"Oh. I'm just not tired." Hinata lied. Neji could tell, because she never stuttered when she lied. He crossed his arms and smiled gently. They sat in silence for a while, and Hinata looked over at him.

"N-Neji-niisan. Do you think…" She stopped a moment, to try to muster up the courage to continue. "Do you think I'm a good ninja?" Neji was surprised by the question and he closed his eyes searching for the correct response.

"You've certainly grown." He finally said after a while. Hinata wasn't sure if she liked that answer or not. True, she had gotten stronger in the years and learned new things to keep up with everyone else. But a ninja needed to be sharp, strong, quick, and have great stamina. Hinata always worried that she wouldn't ever meet those expectations especially according to her father. Neji noticed her lack of response and he frowned.

"Hinata-san, every ninja is different. It is what makes teams work. Lee, for example, focuses on taijutsu because it is what works for him. Naruto focuses on ninjutsu because he is able to use a lot of chakra in a short amount of time. And you, Hinata-san, have great chakra control which makes you excel in using the Gentle Fist and other Hyuuga jutsus." Neji said. Hinata bit her lower lip before she smiled softly.

"T-Thank you." They sat in silence again, and Hinata could feel her body protest at still being awake. She stood up while pulling the blanket closer to her body. "Good night, Neji-niisan." She turned to walk away.

"Be careful around Uchiha Sasuke." Neji suddenly said and she stopped in her tracks. Why was everyone so concerned about her and Sasuke? Hinata could feel her cheeks get red and she nodded.

The next day started as it normally did. Masaru was back to continue on the construction of the foundation. He was actually letting Sasuke do more than just bring him the supplies he needed. They were both working hard to hammer together wood and they didn't even notice Hinata stop by. She had stopped by the flower shop to pick up flowers to plant in the garden so she was carrying quite a bit of things in her arms. She watched them hard at work for a moment and smiled. Hinata didn't want to bother them, so she carried her things the half mile to where the ground was tilled.

Hinata got to work digging up dirt on the other side of the area from where the vegetables and fruits they planted yesterday. She had different flowers and plants that complimented each other and were able to survive through the current weather they were having. As she worked, Hinata tried to focus on things other than Sasuke or Naruto—like her father, Hanabi, and even maybe taking a visit to see Kurenai-sensei. She also missed Kiba and Shino. Her life just a few months ago was completely different than it was now. Hinata was on missions and being a ninja. But now she was cleaning up rubble, gardening and trying to be emotional support to someone who had little to no patience for her. She wondered why she was helping him again. Hinata worked several hours making sure that the flowers were in the right spot, getting enough sun, and she'd need to water them later on.

She sat back, and rubbed her forehead with her arm. Her hands were covered in dirt and her back ached. Hinata leaned back against her arms and let her head roll back. The wind felt good, and she was exhausted. She lay on her back and it felt more comfortable than one would think. The grass blew around her, and she watched a lady bug flutter past her. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and she finally gave in to her exhaustion.

Sasuke kept busy all day, and it was refreshing. He had little time to dwell on things as Masaru was constantly yelling commands to him. Masaru threw down his hammer in his tool box and laughed.

"God damn! Good job, Uchiha. Shit is comin' along nicely. I'm outta here." He said and smacked Sasuke on the back. He glared at the old man, but he smirked and nodded at him.

"Don't be late." Sasuke said which caused Masaru to laugh again. He picked up his tool box, and threw it into the back of trailer. Sasuke looked up to the sun and figured it was late afternoon. He glanced over in the direction of the garden, and he could see the colors of the flower. Sasuke scratched the back of his head and wondered when Hinata had come by with the flowers. He didn't remember seeing her, so he decided to venture over to get a look. Normally, Sasuke wouldn't care but if it was going to be a part of the memorial for the Uchiha's then he wanted to have some sort of say. As Sasuke got closer, he saw the tools still lying out, and that was strange. Then he saw Hinata lying there, dead asleep. He stopped and crossed his arms.

"Hinata." She heard her name and opened her eyes. Hinata found herself on a hillside. The sun was setting and there was a big oak tree at the top of the hill. The air was sweet and she followed the voice calling her name up the hill. She saw a woman sitting underneath it with long dark blue hair, and smile that made her feel welcome.

"Hello, Hinata." The woman said, and motioned her to sit next to her. Hinata nodded, and gently sat down leaning up against the tree. It was one of those moments where she knew that she was in a dream, but everything was so peaceful. Usually dreams were scattered and never seemed to make sense, but this felt very real to her. They sat and watched a few birds fly by, until finally the woman looked over at her.

"I want to thank you for taking care of my boy." She said and Hinata furrowed her brows in confusion. Her voice was very soft and kind and Hinata felt like she was in the presence of a queen. The woman picked up her hand and held it. "He might not show it, but you've shown him that he's not alone."

"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata whispered, and the woman nodded with a small smile. Her cheeks grew warm and she closed her eyes. Her eye lashes seemed to tickle her cheek as the breeze relaxed her. _This is his mother…_ It didn't terrify her that she was talking to someone who was no longer alive. It made her sad for Sasuke.

"Continue to be patient with him. I know it isn't easy, but I can tell he enjoys your company." Hinata nodded gently and opened her eyes to gaze at her.

"I-I'll try." She said quietly, and Sasuke's mother smiled. She was a very beautiful woman, and very kind. Her eyes were similar to Sasuke's—dark and mysterious.

"One last thing," Sasuke's mother said and released Hinata's hand. "Make sure Sasuke takes good care of that pendant. It's very important and I know that sometimes he can get careless." Hinata smiled a little and nodded. His mother pushed back some of Hinata's hair away from her eyes, and once again they sat together just enjoying the view. She had a lot of questions to ask, but she felt wasn't her business. _What exactly happened that fateful night? Where do you go when you die? What more can I do for Sasuke? _But Hinata kept quiet. Besides, it wasn't like anyone was going to believe her anyway. The woman looked over at her and smiled one last time.

"Thank you, Hinata." She said, and within a blink of an eye, there was darkness. Hinata struggled to open her eyes, but when she did, she realized she was snug in a sleeping bag. It smelled nice, like the soap commonly used in the bath houses. It was dark out, and when she sat up, she realized she was in the Police Headquarters at the Uchiha District. Hinata glanced over at the form sitting next to her in the dark, and it was Sasuke. He had fallen asleep sitting up against the wall, and her cheeks blushed furiously when she realized where she was. Sasuke must have found her asleep in the garden and carried her over. He even sacrificed his own sleeping bag for her.

Hinata crawled out of the sleeping bag and over to Sasuke's side. She shook his shoulder gently, and he mumbled a few things sleepily that she couldn't understand. He leaned over towards her, and his head rested on her chest. Hinata's cheeks couldn't get any more red at that point, and his weight was kind of heavy on her. She wrapped her arms around him to keep his head from sliding down into her lap.

"Sasuke-kun…" She said gently. He stirred a bit in his sleep, and slowly opened his eyes. He could smell something nice and he looked up at her groggily.

"Hinata." He said. Her heart raced. He _never_ called her anything but Hyuuga. "You fell asleep." She smiled a little, embarrassed that he had to carry her while she slept. His face was so close to hers so could barely speak.

"T-T-Thank you." She managed to whisper. "I should be going now." Sasuke seemed to resist against her as she lead him over to his sleeping bag. He was half asleep, which made her wonder if he was even aware of what was going on. Hinata made sure he was tucked in, and she was about to get up when he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't." He mumbled with half lidded eyes. She bit her lower lip. Something inside her wanted to watch over him and keep him safe, mainly because of the dream she just had. Hinata suddenly wanted to through her arms around him and tell him how sorry she was that he had to live such a horrible life. But she didn't.

"I can't stay…" She said quietly. Neji would come looking for her and inevitably would try to kill Sasuke. Not to mention people's heads would explode with gossip around the village. She could just hear Ino's cackle and it made her shiver. Sasuke stared at her for a few more seconds before he let go and promptly rolled over. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief, and she stood up. Hinata thought a lot about the dream on her hurried walk home. It felt very strange but very real as well.

Hinata reached the gate of the Hyuuga Mansion. She froze when she saw Neji sitting out on the steps, waiting for her. He looked at her with icy eyes as she walked up towards the stairs. Hinata felt like silly, like a child who had broken their curfew. Neji didn't say anything, he just watched her as she passed him, and Hinata exhaled once inside. Once again, he had made her feel small and childish.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello! This chapter is a little short and I apologize. But I actually really like this one so enjoy. I also just got engaged this morning so I might be slower on updating than usual. We'll see :)

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A week passed since Hinata had woken up next to Sasuke, and they kind of ignored it. Both were pretty busy—Sasuke and Masaru were working endlessly on the house, and Hinata was still tending to the garden. It would take several months for the garden to be complete and it certainly looked sparse, but Hinata worked on it every day making sure it was watered and weeded. Missions in Konoha were slowly starting to be assigned, which caused training with her team to increase. She had been neglecting her training before, leaving Kiba and Shino to train alone. But now there was no excuse—they could be given a mission any day now, so Kurenai cracked down on them training twice a day now to catch up with the lull in Konoha. They would train once in the morning and once in the evening, so Hinata had to find time in between to run out to the Uchiha District. On occasion she would provide the boys with lunches, and would visit, but her time was slowly being re-focused. Sasuke didn't like it one bit, though he never showed it.

He vaguely remembered snuggling up to Hinata that night; he mainly remembered her scent and warm touch. It was something he felt embarrassed about because it showed a vulnerable side that he'd rather hide. Although Sasuke wasn't fond of his little time seeing the Hyuuga, it gave him more time to focus on his own problems—his time with Masaru was getting slimmer and the progress on the house was slow. With only two people, it would take a miracle.

"Oy, Hinata. Let's call it day!" Kiba said between breaths as they wrapped up their training for the evening. She nodded thankfully. Shino and Kiba always had a habit of over exerting themselves, which in turn made Hinata work a little harder than usual. It was good, though, because it made her a little stronger every day. They walked from the temporary training grounds and Kiba yawned loudly.

"This training twice a day is killing me!" Akamaru agreed with a bark.

"We need to catch up. We haven't been doing a lot since the attack." Shino reminded him. Hinata smiled softly as she watched her two team mates go back and forth. It had been a long day and she was ready to go home. Ever since she came home late, Neji had been pestering her about it.

"Hey, Hinata!" Her stomach dropped and her cheeks flushed at that all too familiar voice. It was the voice that made her knees weak and her speech quiver. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around.

"N-Naruto-kun…!" She brought her hand to her lips as he ran up to them. He looked as he always did and of course since being out of the hospital, not a scratch on him. Hinata could feel herself getting light headed, which usually meant a faint was on the way, but she kept her composure. Kiba glanced over at Shino, who nodded in agreement, and then turned.

"See ya tomorrow, Hinata!" Kiba smirked as they started to walk away. If she could pout at them for leaving her in her own little anxiety attack, she would. Naruto rubbed the back of his head and grinned. His blonde hair was as messy as usual, and his deep blue eyes seemed to go on forever. At least Hinata thought so.

"Long time no see! I was just on my way to get some ramen. Wanna go?" He asked excitedly. Hinata's mouth was dry but she managed a squeak in response. They walked together down the street in the village, and she couldn't stop blushing. It had been so long since she had seen him last—all bandaged up in the hospital and in a coma. She suddenly felt ashamed for not seeing him sooner. Hinata's mind was racing as he talked non-stop about having to be cooped up in the Hokage building, and how he just wanted to resume his training soon. She smiled nervously and she suddenly felt like a mess—she was bright red, her stutter was worse than usual and she had to constantly wonder if she was doing something embarrassing. Her affections for Naruto always seemed so strong and she often wondered why. Hinata had admiration for him since day one and the feelings always seemed so hot and heavy. In fact, she _hated_ her behavior when she was around him. She could barely form a sentence and the fainting spells were always a nuisance.

When she was with Sasuke, none of that mattered. She didn't feel like she had to fight for his approval because he approved of _no one_. Hinata didn't feel like she had to hide who she was because they both secretly knew that they had very similar upbringings. She didn't have to talk to Sasuke because she felt like she had to- they enjoyed their silence. Her admiration for Sasuke was cool and calm and it had never really dawned on her that she even admired him in the first place. Hinata had a hard time putting her finger on her exact feelings.

"Hinata? Eh? Hinata?" Naruto gave her an inquisitive look when she stopped responding and she smiled apologetically. _How embarrassing!_

"Ah, s-sorry Naruto-kun." She hadn't realized they had reached the ramen stand. They entered, receiving many greetings from old man Teuchi and his daughter Ayame. Hinata sat down next to Naruto who was eagerly ordering his usual meal.

"Put in some extra pork! It's been a long week." Naruto said and grinned at Hinata, who promptly blushed. She had dreams about going with Naruto to his favorite places. But lately those dreams were replaced by other things such as being with Sasuke at the Uchiha District or even meeting his mother.

"And for you, Hinata?" Teuchi asked as he got to work on Naruto's order.

"I-I'm actually not hungry." She said and Naruto almost looked offended.

"No way. Oy, make her the same thing I got!" He said, and rubbed his hands together. Even if she didn't eat hers, then he would gladly take it from her. Before Hinata could refuse, Teuchi slide a bowl of steamy ramen in front of her and she smiled politely.

"T-Thank you." At this point, Naruto had already broken apart his chopsticks and was slurping away.

"So! Sakura-chan mentioned that you helped out a lot at the hospital." Naruto said in between noodles, and Hinata nodded with a small smile. Naruto picked up his bowl and downed the rest of the soup. He set it down with a satisfied sigh. She had to smile; he was a fast eater.

"Tsunade-no-Bachan has been working me ever since I got outta the hospital which leaves little time for me to do anything else." Hinata thought back to when Sakura mentioned that and she wondered if he would really be taking over some of Tsunade-sama's duties soon. Naruto seemed disappointed. He was a free spirit—he needed room to breathe, fields to run in, and missions to accomplish. But his dream of Hokage was still very much alive, so Naruto bit the bullet. 95% of the job of being Hokage was paper work and being cooped up in an office.

That's good, though. Becoming Hokage is your dream, right, Naruto-kun?" Hinata was silently triumphant noticing her stutter had calmed down a bit, and he grinned again at her.

"Mmhmm!" His smile slowly faded away, when he looked back at the remaining droplets of soup in his bowl. "How is Sasuke?" Hinata was swirling the uneaten noodles in her bowl, when her stomach did a weird flop at the mention of Sasuke. So he _did _know that she was spending a lot of time with Sasuke lately. Hinata glanced over at him and he had a look of defeat. A frown replaced her smile and she felt bad. Sakura and Naruto spent a good portion of their lives searching out Sasuke and trying to get him home. And now that he was, he wanted nothing to do with them.

"He's doing well." She said quietly. "Tsunade-sama is helping him r-rebuild the Uchiha District." Naruto was silent for a moment, which was unusual, and Hinata observed him. Sasuke was important to him, and Hinata was about the only person he interacted with. The thought made her cheeks grow warm and she smiled gently.

"Hinata?" Naruto looked over at her. She looked over at him and blushed again. There was always something about him that made her feel light headed. Maybe it was the fact that he was always smiling, even though he had the world weighing on his shoulders. Or perhaps it was the way he never gave up even though he had all the odds against him. Hinata would never know.

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun?" Hinata whispered. Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head as if he felt embarrassed.

"Are you gonna finish your ramen?" He asked and she felt the life being sucked right out of her. _So much for a moment… _She simply nodded, and he pulled the bowl in front of him. "Thanks!" For a while, they talked here and there about Naruto's time in the Hokage building, and Hinata mentioned the boost in training lately due to missions being assigned again. After a while, Hinata chewed on her bottom lip and their conversation almost seemed painfully awkward. With Sasuke, there was always a nice silence that seemed to keep them content. There was nothing awkward about it and there wasn't anything forced about it. They finished up, and Naruto rested his arms behind his head.

"Want me to walk ya home?" He offered and Hinata cursed herself for blushing again. She didn't blush nearly as much in front of Sasuke, which was good. It would probably just irritate him.

"N-No, that's okay. I'll be fine." Naruto nodded and as she turned to walk away, he called her once again.

"Hinata?" She stopped and turned to him. Her stomach felt like it was about to burst with butterflies. Naruto suddenly looked embarrassed and scratched his cheek lightly.

"Er… well I…" He started and Hinata felt her knees starting to feel weak. _What is he going to ask me? To go on a date with him? To spend time with him in the Hokage building?_ The possibilities went off in her mind. Naruto laughed lightly.

"Sakura-chan and I are going on a date tomorrow night. What kind of flowers do you think she'd like? Or should I get her chocolate? Or…?" Naruto seemed at a loss for words as the whole dating thing was new to him, especially with Sakura. Hinata stared at him, and it really hit her. Naruto would _never_ love her. It didn't matter how strong she got. It didn't matter if she cut her hair, or wore different clothes. She wanted to throw her arms around him and plead him to re-consider her, but Hinata knew she was stronger than that. With a heavy heart, Hinata managed to smile and fold her hands in front of her. She couldn't let him see her fall apart even though she so badly wanted to.

"I-I think Sakura would like some flowers…" Hinata recalled Ino saying red roses were good for romance. "Perhaps get her a bouquet of r-red roses?" Naruto snapped his fingers as if a light went on in his head and grinned.

"You're a genius, Hinata! Thanks! Hey, tell Sasuke I need to talk to him." She nodded. He gave her one last trademark grin before he was walking down the street waving good bye. Her body felt heavy, and her eyes were starting to fill with tears. _No! Stop being weak, Hinata. That is not your way of the ninja._ She tried to remind herself in her head as she walked towards home. But it was the last place she wanted to be. Her way of the ninja was influenced by Naruto, which in turn only made her feel worse.

Hinata had a little time before the sun went down completely, and she needed an escape. She needed a place to go to where she could forget everything and just concentrate on one thing at a time. Even though this would be her third time getting in a training session that day, she felt like she needed to release some emotion. Hinata found her way back to the temporary training grounds and it was empty just as she figured. The sun was almost done setting, but she didn't let it bother her.

She decided to work on throwing her shurikens, since using any kind of tool was a weakness for her. Hinata sometimes wondered if she relied too much on her Byakugan and the Gentle Fist, but she would always remember what Neji told her—every ninja is different. Hinata reached into the pouch on her thigh and grabbed a few, then closed her eyes to concentrate. She inhaled, and then on her exhale, Hinata opened her eyes and released the shuriken at the targets on the trees. Upon opening her eyes, she realized that someone was standing in front of one of the targets. Hinata squeaked in horror as it was too late to stop her throw. Uchiha Sasuke stood a few feet away from her while one of her shurikens spun around his finger. He had an amused look on his face as he walked towards her.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" She breathed.

"Your technique is off." He said simply almost cutting her off. Hinata frowned.

"I know…but I'm trying not to rely on my Byakugan." She said quietly and he was silent for a moment as he thought. True, a ninja shouldn't always rely solely on their jutsus; they easily drain chakra especially if one is careless. Sasuke knew that for most it was hard to find a balance between taijutsu, ninjutsu and in some cases genjutsu. Hinata watched him carefully and he suddenly turned with quick movements and threw the shuriken past her. At first, she wondered if he was just trying to mess with her, but she looked back to see he had hit a target straight on without even thinking about it. Uchiha Sasuke really was an incredible ninja.

"W-Wow!" Hinata whispered to herself. He definitely lived up to his name. Of course it could also be some influence from Orochimaru's training as well. Sasuke pulled another shuriken out of his pack and looked to her.

"Were you not paying attention at the academy?" He asked holding one up at her. "Put your index finger on the blade and then as you throw release it from your finger. Whichever direction it leaves your finger is where it will be thrown. Just like throwing a Frisbee." Hinata felt embarrassed at such a basic skill that she never really mastered. She knew how to throw it, but her aim was always off. Sasuke held out the shuriken to her and she took it in her small fingers. He stood back to give her some room, and she lined it up just as he said. Hinata closed her eyes to get her concentration in the right place, and then opened them to gaze at the target. She tried to copy what Sasuke showed her and she managed to do a better job than she did last time. Sasuke's face was emotionless as he grabbed another shuriken out of his pack and handed it to her.

"Do it again." She was about to protest, but something inside her mind stirred. _Sasuke enjoys your company._ He was trying to help her, which was a very rare thing for him. The wind blew back her hair and she took a deep breath before taking it from him.

"This time, widen your stance." He gave her a few quick pointers before she threw it. Each time Hinata would get closer and closer to the middle of the target. It was very difficult without using the precision of her Byakugan and she cursed herself for letting it become a crutch.

"Again." Sasuke urged and she wiped some sweat forming on her forehead, but she continued. Over and over again she threw shurikens, each getting better than the next. Finally, Hinata threw the shuriken and it hit a bull's eye with the target. Happiness bubbled inside and she smiled brightly.

"I did it!" She squeaked and looked over at Sasuke who had a smirk drawn across his lips. The sun was almost completely down so there was little light left. Hinata had finished praising herself and looked over to him. "T-Thank you. You didn't need to help me."

"The Hokage is giving out missions. The last thing that needs to happen is you getting hurt." Sasuke said flatly. Before she could blush, he continued. "You've still got work to do on my garden so I'll need you alive." She wasn't sure if she should be offended or not. Hinata smiled instead. Sasuke might not have shown it, but he was enjoying this. He had come to train, but seeing her here allowed him to be in her presence. Plus he enjoyed training and giving out pointers in order to help one get stronger. Hinata went around to the targets to retrieve her shurikens while Sasuke stretched in the middle of the training grounds. It was strange that he was going to train when it was almost dark out, but she figured she would leave him be. She already felt like a nuisance when he was giving her pointers. Hinata turned to leave when a kunai whizzed past her ear and she dodged it just in time. _Just like last time…! _She looked back at him and he stood crossing his arms.

"I helped you. Now you help me." Sasuke said and stood in a stance to spar. If Hinata had time, she would have laughed, but Sasuke was already charging at her. She dodged a blow while activating her Byakugan. Sasuke wasn't going easy on her as he threw his punches, but she followed through in blocking and dodging. Hinata was breathing hard; already exhausted from her other training sessions that day, but she did her best. For the next several minutes, they went back and forth just as they did the previous spar. But this time, Sasuke didn't give her a window of opportunity to provide an offense and she could feel herself getting pushed backwards each time he came at her. Sasuke wasn't even breaking a sweat, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Hinata felt something behind her as she backed up into a tree, and she squeaked with nowhere to go. She simply shut her eyes and waited for a punch to land on her, but instead his fist landed an inch above her head. Bark exploded around them, and the tree shook while leaves rained down on them. Hinata shakily looked above her as his fist rested on the tree, and he was inches away from her face. Her cheeks flushed as they stared into each other's eyes—Hinata's were full of fear and his were calm and mysterious. They were both panting and sweat was running down her temples. Sasuke could feel his stomach churning as his adrenaline was pumping. She looked like a scared puppy, but she was beautiful. The way her hair stuck to her sweaty face and her lavender eyes stared into his… it made him want to jump out of his skin. He could only think of one thing to do. Sasuke leaned in to kiss her and she trembled.

It was as if everything was slow motion. Hinata could hear her own heartbeat; she realized this would be her first kiss. It was her and it was Sasuke. The feelings she had for him seemed right, and she was even curious what it might be like to kiss him. But also the fear of the unknown paraded around in her mind, and Naruto came into thought. She always pictured him being her first kiss, and suddenly she felt sick. _He didn't love her._ At the last second, Hinata turned her head and his lips landed on her soft cheek. He opened his eyes puzzled. Sasuke felt irritated at that point. He put his other hand on her cheek and gently forced her to look at him.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun…" Hinata whispered and it only fueled the hormones racing inside his body. He wanted to kiss her all over and hold her in his arms. Sasuke never felt so protective of someone and he felt like he _needed_ her around him. It made him feel weak but that moment, he didn't care. He didn't care if he was becoming soft. He didn't care if that wall he built up to keep people out was slowly deteriorating because of her. Sasuke didn't care if he was falling for her, either_._ A single tear slipped out of her eye and down her ivory skin. He watched it and he suddenly realized maybe he had gone too far. Sasuke stared into those eyes for another second, and then pulled away. Inside he felt embarrassed, angry, and hurt but on his face he showed no expression. Hinata inhaled once he stepped away and slipped down the tree into a sitting position. Her muscles hurt and she was exhausted. Her life had been an emotional rollercoaster the past few weeks and she wasn't sure how to process what had happened.

He thought about apologizing. He thought about taking her hand and escorting her home. He thought about a lot of things that he should do. Instead, Sasuke left her sitting there, just as she had left him a few weeks ago. Hinata cradled her head in her hands and silently cried. How can she just forget about Naruto? How can she just accept defeat so easily?


	11. Chapter 11

Hmmmm. I'm iffy about this chapter myself, but new things happen. Thanks for all the reviews, follows, faves, etc... you guys are amazing. Enjoy~

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It had been a week or so since their little incident. Hinata came by less and less simply because she was so busy with training and doing small D and C-rank missions that were only a few hours long. It was quite a relief for her to be able to get her mind off their situation, but he would always crawl back into her thoughts like a parasite. Nonetheless, Hinata kept her promise to keep up with the garden and the seeds they planted a few weeks back were starting to finally peek out from the soil. When Hinata did stop by the Uchiha District, Sasuke ignored her completely. He barely even acknowledged her presence, simply because his pride (and heart) had been hurt.

That day, Masaru was in the village getting more supplies so Sasuke had some down time. It was too hot to train, and his leg was bothering him, so he decided to go investigate a little at the Hokage building. The library full of scrolls and old documents was always a good source for information, and he wondered if maybe he could find out a little bit more about the pendant that hung around his neck. The village was rather quiet—a lot of the repairs in Konoha were nearly complete. Even the Academy was half way done with being rebuilt. The children still had class, just in another part of the village. Sasuke enjoyed his stroll through Konoha. He thought about a lot of things; his family, his clan, his new home, and even _she _would come to mind. He noticed her increase of being absent, but as long as she kept up the garden, it didn't really bother him as much as it used to. Sasuke was practically willing himself to ignore those feelings he had for her because let's face it—she denied him. Hinata had been in the position that Sakura would have _killed_ for. Sasuke was being a little narcissistic; when people put one up on a pedestal their whole life, it's hard to think otherwise.

Sasuke finally reached the Hokage building and entered. It used to be a very musty place with a strange smell, but since the attack, it had been remodeled. He walked down several hallways, looking for the library. He frowned upon coming across a sign on the door saying they had been moved from the basement due to moisture. Sasuke figured Tsunade would know where they were at so he followed the hallways to her office. He was about to barge in when he heard familiar voices inside.

"You called us, Tsunade-sama?" The voice was Hatake Kakashi. Sasuke furrowed his brows. _Where has he been all this damn time?_

"Yes. Kakashi… I know you just returned from a mission, but I need you to take your team to an abandoned village that is to the south east of Konoha. A contractor has begun renovations there but they came across something I think you should take a look at." Sasuke raised his eyebrow at this, and kept listening due to his curiosity.

"I see. Is it true they found something that could have belonged to Uchiha Itachi?" Kakashi said dryly. This perked up Sasuke's ears and he listened closer. Tsunade nodded and leaned back in her chair.

"Yes. Hyuuga Hinata." Sasuke heard Hinata's voice and wondered why she was with Team Kakashi. Of course, Sasuke knew who Sai was and never cared for the guy, but Hinata was a part of another team. _Why is she with them?_ Hinata stood straight upon hearing her name, even though her stomach was in knots. She was standing in between Sakura and Naruto and the uncomfortable tension was making her anxious.

"Hai?"

"The contractor described the item to be similar to the box you found at the Uchiha District. I need you guys to take a look around and make sure that there is nothing else out of the ordinary. Hinata, use your Byakugan well." The team nodded in unison. "Be careful...especially you, Naruto. Even though Itachi is dead, he could have left something behind." Naruto huffed at her words of caution and crossed his arms. Tsunade glanced over at Shizune and they shared the same look. Itachi was known for his genjutsu; he could have left a trap in the box. Kakashi glanced at his team, and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, we'll leave here in about an hour so get your things together and we'll meet at the front gate." At this point, Sasuke could feel the blood pumping in his veins and could even his heart beating faster. _Itachi… what did you leave behind?_

"One last thing before you go." Tsunade said, and stood up to walk in front of them. Although she was talking to all four of them, the Hokage's eyes stared straight at Hinata. "None of this gets to Uchiha Sasuke. Right now, he is doing just fine trying to move on from everything. I cannot afford to have him find out." Sasuke heard his name, and it just added to the adrenaline. _Damnit…that bitch. _She was trying to keep shit from him again and he didn't like it. Although she was partially right—his life was stable and the construction of his house was keeping his mind in the right place.

But the fact that Sasuke never got proper closure with his brother also kept open the portal in his brain that might make him return to his previous mindset. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, and his thoughts were running wildly. _Itachi… _He disappeared before they were dismissed. Hinata also wasn't sure how she felt about the mission. She was never a fan of keeping things from people, so she simply hoped she wouldn't run into Sasuke before they left.

Naruto and Sakura walked out together, and Hinata figured she'd better go water the garden before they left. On her way to the Uchiha District, her mind fumbled between the mission and Sasuke. Her stomach wouldn't settle and she silently cursed her anxiety. Hinata wasn't sure if it was due to the mission or because Sasuke had been shutting her out. She never understood why he would want to kiss her. Her self-esteem was never very good, but she always tried to keep a positive outlook. The wind blew back her long hair, and she paused to watch the leaves float passed her. The path they used to walk together wasn't as exciting as she remembered.

"Hinata-san!" Hinata was almost to the entrance when Taro ran to her and leaped into her arms. He grinned. Masaru nodded his greeting to her as he picked up a few tools from his trailer.

"Any idea where the Uchiha is?!" He called at her over his shoulder.

"No… I haven't seen him." Hinata frowned and set Taro down as she headed for the Police Headquarters. He followed at her feet telling her his stories and she would respond every so often. But her mind was elsewhere… Everything seemed so dull without Sasuke in her life, and it was a strange feeling. She still wanted to keep her word with Sasuke's mother in her dream, but he was nowhere to be found. It was also a battle in her mind if she was yearning for Sasuke because of the dream or because she really did feel something for him.

Hinata picked up the watering can that was inside the building, and she looked over to his things in the corner of the room. She saw the box and the mission came to mind again. Hinata was slightly relieved that Sasuke wasn't around, because she was a terrible liar. Not that he would have said anything to her, anyway.

"Taro." Hinata said gently as he had followed her into the building.

"Hmm?"

"I have a special job for you for the next few days." She said, kneeling down to his level. Taro's eyes got wide and he nodded silently. "I'm going to be gone for a little while, so I'm going to need you to water the garden for me. Can you do that?"

"Hai!" He said as fast as he could. His excitement for his 'special job' showed on his face, and he threw his arms around her neck suddenly. "Y-You'll come back, right?" Hinata smiled softly and hugged him back.

"Of course."

"You're never around anymore, Hinata-san. Do you not love Sasuke-san anymore?" Taro asked and hiccupped. Her cheeks began to get red. Taro must think they were a couple... She was silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say to the boy. Hinata pulled back and smiled at him.

"No, that's not it. I've got my own special job to do. I will be back, though. Make sure you water the garden once a day, okay?" She said and he nodded while wiping his eyes. Hinata rubbed some dirt from his cheek and smiled. "I'll show you how. Come on."

* * *

"Ch… that Naruto! He's always late." Sakura said and crossed her arms. The three out of the four were at the gate ready to go for their mission. Kakashi had his hands in his pockets as he lazily looked over at Hinata.

"Hinata." He said and she looked over at him.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Before we leave, tell me a little about the box you found in the Uchiha District." Kakashi said. Hinata nodded.

"Well, it had its own chakra presence. It wasn't any special kind of chakra, but I noticed that when Sasuke-kun had broken the seal on the scrolls inside, the presence wasn't as strong. But the pendant also carried chakra inside of it." She said quietly. Kakashi nodded. He remembered hearing Tsunade talking about how it had been passed down through the generations of the Uchiha clan. Itachi must have also received a similar box, but they would have to be careful. If it was something of true importance, why would he of left it behind?

"Alright! Let's go! I'm here and ready to go." Naruto said as he ran up to them. Sakura looked peeved and she punched his arm.

"I told you not to be late! Stop being so selfish." Naruto rubbed his arm and pleading her not to be so angry. Hinata felt a soft smile spread across her lips and it surprised her. She was so worried that her emotions might get the best of her on this mission with having to be around Naruto. Hinata wondered if maybe she had come to terms with it, at least to be able to start to move on.

"Well, let's go." Kakashi said, and the team agreed. It would take them about a day to get to where they needed to go. Since it wasn't a mission they needed to hurry with, Hinata found the time to let her mind wander as they traveled. The constant bickering between Naruto and Sakura would occasionally snap her back in to reality. But every so often, Hinata would look up to see Naruto slip his hand in Sakura's. She would give him an irritated look, but eventually smile and squeeze his hand. It dug up something deep inside Hinata's heart and it was jealousy. But it was a different kind of jealousy… not so much as jealous of them specifically, but jealous because there was no one there to hold her hand. Kakashi would remind them they were on a mission and not a date, and other course they would let go only to latch on a few minutes later.

Hinata bit her lower lip, and tried to ignore it. It was very hard for her because for so many years, her feelings always remained the same; she loved Naruto. There was never any question about it because there was no one else there to challenge it. When Sasuke tried to kiss her the other day, it _did_ challenge her heart. It made her realize there was room for someone else in that little heart of hers.

After several hours of traveling through the forest, they approached a clearing that would be a good spot for them to set up camp. The sun was setting, and Hinata had to shield her eyes from its bright rays.

"Man, I cannot wait until we get there. I'm not used to these boring missions." Naruto said folding his arms behind his head. Kakashi looked at him with a half-lidded eye.

"Now, now, you never know what's around the corner. Be on alert even on the simplest missions." He said and set down his backpack against a tree then glanced over at Hinata with a smile. Even though his face was hidden behind his mask, you could still see the outline of a grin.

"Hinata, could you gather some fire wood?" She nodded and set her backpack down against the tree next to his. As she walked back into the deeper part of the forest, she could still hear Naruto's loud voice carry it self. When she felt she was far enough away into the trees, Hinata sat down on a fallen over log to rest her feet. Truth be told, she'd rather be back at the Uchiha District, even though Sasuke was giving her the cold shoulder. Hinata closed her eyes to meditate for a few moments and it was very quiet. The birds were settling in for the evening, and the branches flowing in the breeze were even quieter than usual.

Suddenly, Hinata felt a presence around her. It was familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place her finger on where she had felt it before. She stood up and glanced around herself in a circle. It was an uneasy feeling. The wind picked up and whipped her long hair around. Hinata was about to activate her Byakugan when Kakashi appeared on a branch above her.

"Oh! Kakashi-sensei." He had startled her. Scratching the back of his neck, he jumped down next to her, while also taking a glance around.

"Everything okay?" Kakashi asked as the wind blew again. She nodded.

"S-Sorry. Sometimes I just need to meditate to clear my mind." Hinata said quietly and Kakashi rested a hand on her shoulder.

"That's okay." They nodded with a mutual understanding and Hinata collected some firewood. She followed Kakashi back to the camp ground where Naruto was already snoozing away in his sleeping bag.

* * *

The next morning, they got an early start. Hinata was anxious to get to the abandoned village and find out more about the box that was believed to of belonged to Uchiha Itachi. Throughout the rest of their journey there, Hinata kept feeling like they were being followed. Several times, she would activate her Byakugan and look behind them, but there was never anything out of the ordinary.

"You feel it too, Hinata?" Kakashi asked her and she nodded.

"Feel what?" Naruto questioned as they walked.

"O-Oh. I just feel like we're being followed, but I can't see anything with my Byakugan." Hinata said quietly and Sakura frowned.

"I felt it too. I figured I just slept weird." She said and Naruto's jaw dropped.

"What the hell!? I haven't felt anything." He cried and Hinata hid a small smile behind her fingers.

"It's p-probably nothing." She reassured him. Although as the abandoned village came into view, the strange feeling continued to dwell inside the pit of Hinata's stomach. At the entrance, they were met by a younger man who welcomed them rather hurriedly.

"It's about time you guys got here." He said and ran a hand through his brown hair. Kakashi ignored that statement. The man was short and stocky with a bossy tone. Naruto was about to say something to shut the man up when Kakashi spoke first.

"Hinata." He looked over at her and she nodded. The village really was abandoned. Surrounded by rolling plains, it certainly looked spooky. The buildings were suffering since there was no maintenance. It wasn't a very big village, mainly only a few residential areas and then a run-down hotel.

"Byakugan!" The veins around her eyes pulsed and she did a quick sweep. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but then something caught her attention.

"I-I see a chakra source." Kakashi nodded, and then turned to the man.

"Where's the item?" They followed the contractor through the village, and Sakura couldn't help but get goose bumps as the wind howled through the old buildings.

"Sure is creepy here…" She said to herself and Naruto looked like he was trying to keep calm.

"I-I hope there aren't any ghosts h-here." He mumbled and about jumped out of his skin when a door on a building slammed shut from the wind.

"Alright, this way. I found it when I was ripping out some old boards in this old hotel here. As soon as I saw the Uchiha symbol, I wanted nothing to do with it… Who knows what kind of curse it has." The man said and Hinata felt a little anger pumping through her veins. Although she knew very little about the Uchiha clan and its massacre, she knew the sole survivor. He might be rough around the edges, but who could blame him? The man led them into the main room of the hotel and the box was sitting on a countertop. It really did look similar to the one she found just a few months ago.

"Hey Hinata," Naruto glanced in her direction. "What was in the other one?"

"W-Well, there were some photographs and scrolls." Hinata was rather vague because she felt like she was discussing personal things that she didn't have permission to talk about. Sakura approached the box slowly and observed it.

"It looks harmless." She said. Hinata activated her Byakugan once more to dive in deeper.

"Well? Anything out of the ordinary?" Kakashi asked before he touched it. Hinata furrowed her brows and after a few moments, she frowned.

"I don't think so… It seems okay." It was hard to tell, but from what she could see its chakra source was almost exact to Sasuke's box. The man coughed a bit and crossed his arms.

"Alright, can you get that thing outta here? I've got a lot of work to do." Sakura placed her hands on her hips and glared irritably at the man. _He sure is rude._ Kakashi slid the box off the counter and held it under his arm pit.

"Yeah, yeah. First off, Hinata, is there anything else you can see around here that might have belonged to a shinobi?" With her Byakugan, Hinata did a thorough sweep of the hotel. The whole place was falling apart so she had to be careful as she walked throughout the main floor by herself. Suddenly, that strange feeling was back in the pit of her stomach. She could sense something was nearby, and it made her uneasy.

Within a flash, Hinata saw it coming. Electricity exploded through hotel as a beam of lightning burst through the door. The spear-shaped bolt flew through the air as it was aiming straight for Kakashi and the box. Naruto and Sakura leaped out of the way as wood shredded and the building began to crumble. Uchiha Sasuke emerged through the dust controlling the Chidori Sharp Spear as it sunk into Kakashi's flesh.

"Give me the box." Sasuke said sharply over the loud electricity crackling.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted and Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. _Ch…damnit._ Sasuke furrowed his brows and glanced around wildly. Kakashi and the box were nowhere to be found… at least until his former sensei appeared behind him with a kunai to his back.

"Well… long time no see, Sasuke." Kakashi said nonchalantly. Sasuke deactivated his jutsu, and whipped around to knock the kunai out of his hand. They jumped over broken boards in the old hotel, trying to one up each other in battle. Hinata was in a few rooms over, trapped from the top floor collapsing on her only way out. But she could see everything with her Byakugan and she felt so helpless.

"Sasuke-kun…!" She whispered while she began to pound away at the debris with her Gentle Fist.

"Where's the fucking box, Kakashi!?" Sasuke asked wildly, removing his sword from its sheath. He charged at him, and the old rotten wood underneath them was beginning to break as they went back and forth with Kakashi using the kunai as a way to match his blade.

"You might have been able to mask yourself with a jutsu so Hinata couldn't see you with her Byakugan, but we know your presence well." Kakashi said in between breaths as they suddenly came face to face; blade to blade. Wood splinters were flying all around them, and both were panting.

"I'm not going to ask again…" Sasuke growled. "Where is the god damn box?! Don't think I didn't know what you guys were hiding from me." Kakashi could feel his sword slowly starting to overpower him so he leaped back. Sasuke wasted no time in attacking again, the rage in his body taking over. _This _is who he was. Sasuke never felt like the 'normal life' was for him. He needed the adventure, he needed the excitement and he needed the anger. Not even Hinata could provide him with that.

"Well," Kakashi said as he dodged the blade. "I don't have the box." This was only gasoline to the fire of anger that Sasuke felt.

"Damnit!" _He_ must have it. Sasuke leaped back, searching desperately for Naruto. The boy was nowhere to be found and neither was Sakura. He ran at quick speeds outside of the hotel, and looked around through the abandoned village.

"Oy, Sasuke!" Naruto called and he turned around to see his former team mate with the box in his arms.

"You…" Sasuke growled and he could feel himself reaching full capacity of anger. "YOU!" Naruto furrowed his brows.

"Look, Sasuke…" He started, but Sasuke wasn't having any of it. Enraged, everything turned red as his Sharingan activated. Sasuke charged at Naruto with his blade gleaming in the sunlight.

"Sakura-chan, now!" Naruto tossed the box upwards and Sakura jumped out from the side to grab it. He finally began to realize that this was the plan all along—they had found him out and were expecting him. Sasuke almost didn't care. He'd get the box later…first he had some unfinished business. Still charging, Sasuke attempted to deal blows which were met with Naruto's kunai. Just like with Kakashi, they went back and forth.

"You…fucking…ruined…EVERYTHING!" Sasuke cried. "Why wouldn't you just LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Naruto jumped backwards, still avoiding that blade.

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Multiple shadow clones appeared running towards Sasuke with Rasengan's in their hands. Normally, the Uchiha would smirk at how easy this battle was, and taunt his team mate. But this battle was different; it was _deeply _personal. Naruto took away the only thing he wanted to do. Sasuke almost gave up his entire being to get his revenge and he thought about it every night. With impressive speed and precision, Sasuke took out each shadow clone without getting a scratch on him. Naruto cursed under his breath and attempted to throw a kunai. He really didn't want to fight Sasuke—they had nothing to fight about.

"Sasuke, it was an accident!" Naruto tried to reason with him but Sasuke didn't believe it.

"You should have minded your own fucking business. It was my fight!" He grunted, lurching towards Naruto once more. Naruto called forth more shadow clones, a whole army of them. They surrounded the abandoned village, and Sasuke seemed unfazed. One by one, he took them out and puffs of smoke filled the air. Before Naruto could even process the situation, a foot appeared through the smoke and lodged itself into his jaw which sent him flying back into the ground. He felt a sharp blinding pain in his leg as Sasuke's sword pinned him to the ground. He had thrown it with precision from above and he landed several feet from Naruto.

Sasuke knew that killing Naruto would do nothing, but the anger in his body seemed to coax him anyway. The Chidori in his hand sparked and filled the air with electricity. Naruto gritted through the pain and pulled the sword from his leg and attempted to stand up. When he failed, he knelt on his knees as blood gushed from his wound.

"I get no second chance in life. I don't deserve to rebuild anything." Sasuke said dully as his Chidori gained more power. Naruto knew he had to get out of there fast, because Sasuke had gotten much quicker in his moves then the time they fought before Sasuke joined Orochimaru. Sasuke lifted the Chidori in the air and sprinted towards Naruto. Naruto didn't want to fight anymore. He didn't want to go up against his best friend anymore. He closed his eyes and braced himself.

"NO!" It was the voice that always created shivers up and down his spine. Sasuke recognized her body, her face, her hair, her scent and he realized that Hinata was going to be killed by his own hand. But even his quick movements weren't able to be stopped as the Chidori slammed into her chest. Naruto's eyes widened and everything was suddenly in slow motion.

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed and it echoed in Sasuke's mind. He felt like he had risen from his body and was watching himself from above. The electricity seemed to go on forever and he stared in horror at her wide lavender eyes. Sasuke could still hear Naruto calling Hinata's name and he felt like he was frozen. Her beautiful face scrunched up in pain and she coughed blood on his arm. It was like he had broken something so fragile and innocent… almost like a glass figurine. Sasuke pulled back and his world seemed to explode. Hinata fell like a sack of potatoes into Naruto's arms as Sakura ran up.

"Hinata!" Sakura screamed as she shoved Sasuke out of the way and knelt down to her side. All Sasuke could do was stare as all the anger had been drained. Suddenly, the ground crumbled at his feet, and he felt sharp teeth sink into his body as Kakashi had summoned his Ninken to pin him in place. All he could do was watch as Hinata was laid down while Sakura began to apply her medical chakra. Sasuke felt nothing; he didn't feel the pain from the Ninken, or anger, or even sadness. He felt numb and helpless.

"Hinata, can you hear my voice?" Sakura said almost in panic. Hinata didn't respond and Naruto crawled to her side in disbelief

"Sakura." Kakashi called sharply to her. "We need to get her back to Konoha immediately." She ignored her sensei and boosted her chakra flow into Hinata's wound. Tears began to form in Sakura's eyes and she tried to concentrate. Naruto watched the tears flow down Sakura's cheek and he looked down to Hinata.

"S-Sakura-chan…" Naruto whispered, feeling a sob hitch in his throat. She ignored Naruto as well, until Kakashi came up to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura… we need to leave- now." His voice was sharper than usual, and she nodded slowly. "We can get back to Konoha by nightfall if we hurry." Naruto suddenly felt anger surge through his body as if the kyuubi inside was trying to rip him apart. Even with his wounds dripping blood, Naruto ran up and slammed his fist into Sasuke's face. It stunned the Uchiha, who had already seemingly checked out of his mind.

"All because of a box!?" Naruto hurled another punch to his face. "I should have been the one to get hit!" Blood splattered from Sasuke's lips and Kakashi had to pull Naruto away.

"When I say we need to leave now, I mean it. Hinata's life is at stake." Kakashi hissed. Naruto's fists were still shaking with anger as he shoved his sensei off. He stared at Sasuke for a few more agonizing seconds before walking over to where Hinata lie. She was so small and fragile as he gathered her gently in his arms. Sakura stood up and rubbed her teary eyes.

"What about Sasuke-kun?" She whispered, and Kakashi nodded.

"I'll take care of him."


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the late update -_o I left it on my work computer on accident. Here is a long chapter to make up for it :D

* * *

Sasuke could feel his arms bound behind him and sky was patchy with tree branches. They were moving at fast speeds. His cheek was sore from Naruto's punches, and his lips were swollen and caked with dried blood. All he could think of was the dread that engulfed him upon seeing Hinata take the brunt of his attack. _She's gone._ Uchiha Sasuke was in and out of consciousness as he was riding on the back of one of Kakashi's tracker dogs. Sometimes he would be brought back to the memory of being at his home with his parents. He could hear their happy laughter and it made that warm feeling in his body return. Other times, he was walking with Hinata down their usual path. He could smell her vanilla scent and even though he didn't show it, he was amused when she squeaked out a sneeze. At this point, Sasuke had lost all track of time, their location, and of his own mind.

Her face was always so soft. Her eyes always looked at him with such emotion that it made him want to stare into them for eternity. Sasuke had never been in love before. He never had the time or the want to form another bond with anyone. Itachi ripped out everything from his heart, including the relationships with his family. Now he could only blame himself. The only person who didn't look at him like he was a monster and was genuinely trying to help him was her. And he had killed her, or so he thought.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said as they flew through the trees. "How much farther?!"

"Almost there…how is she doing?" Naruto frowned and looked down at the Hyuuga girl in his arms. There was blood everywhere, but the first aid treatment that Sakura had given earlier seemed to be helping keep her alive. Her brows were furrowed in pain and her breath was shallow and it made Naruto very nervous. Sakura, who was close by to keep an eye on Hinata's wounds, could see the newly renovated Hokage Mountain coming into view. She held the Uchiha box in her arms tightly.

"Tsunade-sama might be the only one who can save her." Sakura said as the wind whipped through her hair. They had traveled all day at fast speeds, and had made great time considering Naruto had to be careful not to make Hinata's wounds worse. It was early evening when they reached Konoha.

"Sakura, get Tsunade-sama right away." Kakashi ordered as they ran through the entrance. Sakura nodded, and sped forward towards the Hokage building.

"Naruto, you know where to go." Naruto looked over at his sensei with unusual fear in his eyes. They always knew that being a ninja had its cons; one could get severely injured or die. And sometimes one would lose a comrade. Naruto never once thought that he might lose Hinata, but he shoved all those thoughts aside. He nodded and ran with the injured girl in his arms towards the hospital. Kakashi stopped and looked at his tracker dog.

"Thanks for your help. I've got him from here." Kakashi said and untied the Uchiha from the back of the dog. He nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke didn't struggle as Kakashi dragged him by the arm to an abandoned alley way in the village. He threw Sasuke down against a wall and knelt down to look him straight in the eyes. Sasuke refused to acknowledge him.

"Sasuke." Kakashi said sharply and slapped his cheeks gently. Sasuke's eyes slowly looked up to his sensei's face. Kakashi frowned under his mask and hung his head. "I know you didn't mean to do it."

Sasuke could hear the words, but his brain couldn't process it. His head rolled down to look at the Uchiha pendant hanging from his neck. _Father… maybe I am a failure after all. I couldn't defeat Itachi. I couldn't rebuild the district. I couldn't do anything! _He remembered Orochimaru's slippery words from his dream. _No one wants to love a failure._ Maybe that was why Hinata never kissed him. Emotion stirred in his chest for the first time since his battle with Naruto. But it was sorrow instead of the usual anger.

"She is alive as of now but-"

"Let me go, Kakashi." Sasuke interrupted quietly. His sensei shook his head.

"I can't do that. Tsunade-sama is going to want to interrogate you." Sasuke stared into Kakashi's half-lidded eye. His face was emotionless, but Kakashi could see the sorrow in his eyes. It was a usual thing to see as those dark pupils always seemed to be void of any emotion but anger.

"I won't be a burden to this village anymore. Let me go." They were both silent for a long time. Kakashi observed him very closely. Although it had been a very long time since Kakashi had seen or interacted with his pupil, he could see the emotion in his eyes. Sasuke wasn't a danger to anyone—he had nothing left to fight for. Kakashi theorized that the boy just wanted what was left of his brother and he understood that. Kakashi sighed and sat in silence for a moment trying to decide what he wanted to do.

"And where will you go, Sasuke?" Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, adjusting his posture from having his hands bound behind him. Her face kept appearing in his thoughts and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Anywhere but here." He said finally. "Tsunade said I needed to rebuild my life. She was right, but…" His voice faded and he was quiet for a few seconds. Kakashi's gaze lowered to his feet.

"Sometimes, you need to rebuild somewhere fresh." His sensei completed his thought and Sasuke felt his eyes swell up with tears. He had worked so hard on changing and living a normal life. There was nothing normal about him—his entire family and clan were dead. He had no friends except Hinata and he basically tried to kill her. For the first time, Sasuke didn't care if the tears slipped past his eye lids. He didn't care if he looked weak in front of anyone because he _felt _weak. Kakashi scratched the back of his neck and thought for a moment.

"Well. I'm going to get a good scolding for this but." Kakashi leaned down with a kunai to cut the ropes that bound Sasuke's hands. He reached out his hand to help his pupil up, and then he put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you the past few months." Sasuke furrowed his brows and looked away as more tears fell. He didn't respond. Kakashi continued, shaking him a little to pay attention.

"You are a good person. You are a good ninja. And you are a good friend." His voice was soft and he then pulled Sasuke into a hug. It would normally have been something completely out of his comfort zone, but the pride and ego he wore so openly was long gone. He welcomed the embrace and felt a little embarrassed as his tears stained Kakashi's chuunin vest. After a few silent moments, Sasuke pulled back.

"I'm sorry." The words felt strange leaving his mouth as he rarely said it. "Please tell her…I'm sorry." His voice croaked and then he was gone. Kakashi sighed and put his hands in his pockets. Kakashi knew better and he knew that the Fifth Hokage would not be happy. But he also knew first hand about accidents. He couldn't help but feel like he had been in Sasuke's position.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura burst through the door to the Hokage's office, which startled everyone in the room. Shizune dropped a box of papers on the floor in shock as she stumbled in.

"Sakura…!" Tsunade exclaimed and noticed blood stained on her clothes. "What happened!?" Sakura raced to her desk to put down the Uchiha box and she held back tears. Tsunade remembered teaching her to keep the emotions held back, especially when it came to being a medical ninja, but she could tell that this was different.

"It's Hinata..." Tsunade's eyes widened and she slammed her fist down on the desk. She had a feeling that the presence she felt when she was briefing Team Kakashi was Sasuke. _What the hell did he do!? _Tsunade looked up and nodded. The entire sprint to the Konoha Hospital was filled with panic. Tsunade felt at fault for not acting on her instinct to continue her surveillance on the Uchiha. She just hoped that she wasn't too late. Tsunade burst into the entrance of the hospital and was met with frantic nurses who had taken Hinata in intensive care. Naruto was pacing in the lobby with a blood stained jacket when they arrived. Sakura had pulled herself together; she was a strong individual and trusted not only herself, but Tsunade. Hinata was in the best care in the land. They followed the nurses down the hallways until they got to a special room and Tsunade turned to look at them.

"Sakura, I'll need you. Come with me." The two women entered the surgery room, leaving Naruto to sit dumbfounded on a bench. He wasn't one to sit around and wait. Naruto was the most impatient person in the world, and he felt sick. _It's my fault. I should have saw it coming. _

* * *

Sasuke had slipped unseen back to his district after Kakashi let him go. He walked through the entrance to see his house half built. A lump in his throat formed and he tried to will it away. _Everything I have done… I have failed at. He was right. _Sasuke's thought became angry as Orochimaru's words echoed in his brain. He didn't belong here. He didn't fit in as a Konoha resident anymore. Sasuke always felt like an outsider ever since his clan was taken out. Everyone would whisper their pities for him to each other and he would ignore them. Even though they all thought he was a genius, it didn't give him what he really wanted; love and acceptance. Sasuke suddenly _hated_ everything about Konoha, especially his own clan. For the first time, all the pride of being an Uchiha was gone.

He reached up and squeezed the pendant around his neck. Sasuke didn't even feel like he had the right to wear the Uchiha symbol, let alone walk around with his father's chakra. _You're an Uchiha, so you will be nothing but great._ His father's words looped over and over again. Sasuke ripped the necklace off and threw it on the ground. Sasuke took one last look at his district and turned his back to leave. Where was he going to go? He had no idea. Konoha wasn't his home anymore. There was nothing here for him. Hinata was gone… and if she survived, she would never look at him the same. She would never love him because who could love a failure?

Sasuke didn't even know why his heart longed for her so much. Their interaction was minimal, especially as children. Perhaps it was because she was everything he could ever ask for—someone to train with, someone to meditate with, or someone to just enjoy the silence with. All of these feelings were new to him and it was certainly overwhelming. It was also strange how she had been right underneath his nose the whole time. His mind went back to her smile and the way her cheeks would flush. It made him feel at ease. But then Sasuke remembered the blood and the electricity and he felt sick. He was not a very spiritual person, but he prayed that she would be alright.

Thoughts of his former team also squeezed into his mind. Sasuke always knew that they just tried to help him throughout the years while he was on the run with Orochimaru. They and other Konoha ninja risked their lives just to show they cared, but Sasuke wanted nothing to do with it for specific reasons. In order to kill mercilessly, one had to completely shut out _everyone_. He would need to hate and use the anger to fuel his revenge. Sasuke no longer had that excuse, one that he used almost too much in years prior. He burned every bridge and it ended up being pointless since Naruto eventually was the one to kill Itachi. _It was an accident..._ He didn't want to believe it.

Sasuke ran until his legs could no longer stand it. He was just outside the village when he stopped to rest and he took one last look at the place he used to call home. If anything Uchiha Sasuke would become a rogue ninja again considering he almost killed the heiress to the Hyuuga Clan. He could only imagine Neji and her father's reaction and even wondered if they would berate her for being so weak. It only made him feel worse, so he turned his back to the village. Sasuke would need to be very careful in his travels now especially if he was going up against the Byakugan. With one last look behind his shoulder, he disappeared into the early night sky. _You deserve better, Hyuuga…_

* * *

"That was foolish." An unfamiliar voice echoed and Hyuuga Hinata looked around. She wasn't sure where she was. Every direction she looked was darkness. Even the infamous Byakugan wasn't of much help and Hinata tried to remember how to speak.

"W-Who's there?" There was silence for a few moments and Hinata brought a hand to her chest. She felt like she was being watched.

"Sasuke never was good with telling anyone how he felt." The voice came back and Hinata frowned at hearing his name. She must be in a dream again because she was fine—there was no wound on her chest. A sudden sickening feeling took over and she thought maybe she was dead. There was a dry chuckle and Hinata tried to search desperately for whoever was there.

"You're alive, Hyuuga." The way the voice said her name was familiar, but the voice itself was not. The thought of being alive calmed her, however, and Hinata stood up straighter.

"You know S-Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked quietly.

"I know him more than anyone, even you." That confused her because even though Hinata spent a good amount of her time with Sasuke, he never revealed anything about himself. "You are a good observer and a good judge of character. Even though Sasuke is stubborn in allowing someone to form a bond with him, you have." It was as if the voice could hear her thoughts. Hinata frowned and remembered the blast of the Chidori. _He didn't mean to. It was my fault I got hurt!_

"I don't know what to do…" She whispered. Hinata suddenly felt a presence behind her. She whipped around to see Sasuke's older brother standing before her. Hinata wanted to be afraid but she wasn't. She remembered seeing Itachi that night he attacked Konoha and how scared she was of him. But he stood before her and his eyes were no longer the menacing Sharingan. In fact, Sasuke resembled his brother more than his father. Hinata bit her lower lip. Everything felt so surreal. Uchiha Itachi was one of the strongest ninja in the world and here he stood before her. She usually would have felt as small as a mouse, but in that moment, she felt like they were equal.

"Be strong. Find Sasuke and continue to be that bond he needs." Itachi said simply. Hinata felt her cheeks flush and she looked down at her feet. She had yet to address her feelings officially for Sasuke. Even though he almost killed her, Hinata couldn't blame him. She was the one that stood in the way. Hinata looked back up at Itachi and he was gone. In fact, the blackness around her was beginning to dissolve. Her chest suddenly felt like it had a ton of bricks on it, and Hinata tried to open her eyes.

"Hinata? Can you hear me?" On her third attempt, Hinata finally lifted her heavy eye lids. She could see Tsunade with a look of relief. The Fifth Hokage smiled as she stood next to Hinata's bed at the Konoha Hospital. "Welcome back." Of course, Hinata felt groggy from the pain medication that was pumping into her veins and she thought quickly about seeing Sasuke's brother. She opened her mouth to say something.

"Where is Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was soft and it felt like knives in dry throat. Tsunade's smile disappeared and she exhaled while taking a seat next to her bed.

"He got away." Tsunade was always one to be blunt and honest, even if emotions were a factor. "Hinata, you've been recovering for a full week. Do you remember what happened?" Hinata felt her eyes tear up as the memories flooded in her head. She nodded slowly. Tsunade crossed her arms. "I know you've just woken up, but I will need a statement from you eventually." Hinata looked over at her Hokage as the tears spilled over the edges.

"Don't…" She tried to say and Tsunade stood up. Hinata could be stubborn as well and she would go to hell and back if it meant that Sasuke wouldn't be caught and imprisoned.

"Hinata, I have to file a report anytime there is an attack during a mission. If Sasuke is what you're worried about, well then don't." She paused watching Hinata's confused reaction. "We're unable to locate him." It was true. Tsunade sent a team of ANBU after the trail of the Uchiha, but even they simple couldn't trace him. Everything from his scent to his chakra presence was completely wiped out. She suspected they wouldn't have much luck when Kakashi mentioned the forbidden jutsu he used in order to simply vanish. This was of course after she threatened to put the sensei on a suspension. Tsunade _knew_ that he had let Sasuke go on his own because Kakashi was rarely careless. She remembered watching him shrug his shoulders when she asked if that was what he wanted. Kakashi was always loyal to his comrades, even if it meant that he would suffer the consequences.

Tsunade waited for a response from Hinata, but when she said nothing, the Fifth Hokage frowned. Even though it had been a week, there was still a lot of Hinata's mind. She decided to change the subject.

"Your father is out in the waiting room. I will let him know that you are awake." Hinata wanted to plead her not to. The last person she wanted to see was her father and having him see her in such a weak state. Before she could muster up the words, Tsunade left the room.

Hinata tried to shift her weight a bit, and it only brought pain. Her whole body ached, especially her chest. She could feel the bandages around her underneath her shirt and it only made her heart hurt more. _Sasuke-kun…_Hinata had missed Sasuke before, but it was only because she hadn't seen him in a few days. But this feeling of missing him was so much stronger. There were so many things that Hinata wanted to tell him. There were so many times before where Hinata wanted to help him but couldn't. She wished he was there; his presence always made her feel more at ease as if he was her silent protector. The door to her hospital room slid over and she looked over to see her father walk in. His face always carried the same emotion, which was strange because he never really had any emotion to him. Hinata avoided his eye contact as he sat down next to her bed. She expected a lecture or something about how she was again hurt from a mission. Instead her father held her hand tightly.

"Hinata…" He said softly and she moved her head slowly to look at him. She had only seen her father cry once and it was after the passing of her uncle. It made her lip tremble seeing her father so vulnerable.

"Father…" Hinata whispered. He squeezed her hand and offered her a very small smile.

"I'm just so glad you're awake. We weren't sure if..." His voice trailed off and he paused to stop a sob right in its tracks. Hinata furrowed her eyebrows. Hiashi always had such high standards for Hinata and it was very hard for her to meet them. Every day she felt like she had to start over to gain his acknowledgement. He was like a stone statue; never losing balance or grace. And he here was crumbling right before her eyes.

"I'm sorry, father." She managed to say. Hiashi shook his head and smiled gently. Hinata wondered if she was dreaming again because this was very unlike him. She recalled the countless days where he would push and push her to train harder, almost to the point of collapsing from exhaustion.

"No. We are happy you are alive. Neji has been visiting you daily and even blaming himself for not being there with you on your mission." She felt her cheeks get pink and something inside her chest stirred. Hinata was relieved her father wasn't angry with her, but it also made her realize she had to be on her death bed for her own family to show compassion. That was just how their clan was.

"Once we find Uchiha Sasuke, we plan to see that he gets the correct consequences." Hinata's stomach dropped upon hearing that. She shook her head slowly.

"No, father, he didn't mean it. I-It was my fault." She tried to speak louder, but her voice was so hoarse. Hiashi frowned and released his daughter's hand.

"Hinata, I know that you had been spending time with him." She turned her head to look away from him and once again tears were making her surroundings blurry. _Had been…_ Those words left her feeling numb. The days of visiting Sasuke at the district were gone. The evenings spent walking down the old paths to their districts were also gone. Uchiha Sasuke was gone. Hinata felt exhausted even though she had been bed ridden for a week. Perhaps it was more mentally than physically. Her father was silent for a while and he watched a tear escape. Hiashi's stern expression softened and he exhaled.

"You are getting to the age where decisions are getting more important. As the heiress to the clan, I will let you make this decision. I know you have your mother's heart." Her father's voice sounded defeated and she closed her eyes. A number of emotions came over her like a tidal wave: shock, sadness and disbelief. They sat in silence for a while, the only sound coming from the machines she was hooked up to. He watched his daughter slip into another deep sleep and he reached up to brush a few strands of hair out of her eyes. Hiashi was known for his stern and traditional behavior. After almost losing his older daughter, he thought of all the things he had yet to pass on to her. Even though Hinata wasn't strong off the bat, she had done everything she could to reach the level that he deemed appropriate for a Hyuuga. Hiashi thought of his late wife and how much Hinata took after her. They both shared a kind heart but a strong will power. In a rare moment, Hiashi stood up, kissed his daughter's forehead, and left her to sleep on her emotions.

* * *

The next few days were in and out for the Hyuuga heir. Even though she was awake from her recovery, everything would be slow. Hinata remembered Tsunade asking her if she knew why she was alive. Hinata was confused because she figured that she was alive because of the quick thinking of her team in getting her back to the hospital. Tsunade had smiled at her and crossed her arms. Hinata was alive because before Sasuke's Chidori made contact with her chest, she had covered her body in chakra. It didn't stop the attack, but it softened the blow and making it less fatal. Hinata didn't remember releasing chakra, but the Fifth Hokage said sometimes the 'fight or flight' instinct can create heavy chakra flow from within the body. This weighed heavily on her mind. Sasuke really _could_ have killed her if it wasn't for the barrier of chakra she released.

Hinata had many visitors, but her visiting hours were limited due to the extent of her injuries. A lot of emotion could disrupt the healing process and Tsunade was being stern with her about trying to relax. Of course her team mates had visited her; Kiba, Shino and Kurenai-sensei made sure to see her every morning after their training. Hinata was secretly relieved that she had some time off from training and missions. Other ninja stopped to visit including Ino, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei and of course Naruto was there to see her every afternoon. On this particular day, Hinata had a request.

"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata said as she eased herself up in a sitting position. Naruto, who was picking at a thread on his jacket, glanced up at her. He thanked Hinata every day for saving his life, although it was probably unnecessary. Naruto would have been able to survive the blow with the Nine-Tailed Fox spirit inside of him.

"Eh?"

"Um… well, first off thank you for s-stopping by. You really don't need to every day." She said softly. Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. Sorry Hinata but you're stuck with me here." He grinned, which caused her cheeks to flush a bit. Old feelings were being poked at, but there was something else inside her heart that stirred and put out that flame.

"Ah… well, I was wondering if…" Her voice trailed off, and Naruto frowned boyishly.

"What is it? I owe you one, so whatever is it, I'll do it!" Hinata formed another polite smile and stared at her folded hands in her lap. She had thought long and hard about it, and she knew that it might not even be something possible. If Hinata was well enough, she would already be out there doing it.

"Can you find Sasuke for me?" She finally whispered. Naruto's face softened and he stared glumly at the floor. He knew damn well that it would be difficult. If the ANBU couldn't find the boy then how could he? Naruto thought back to the promise he made to Sakura about finding the Uchiha and how he had failed to do it. He wasn't sure if he could keep his promise to Hinata either. But Naruto had never been one to say no to a request. He looked back up to her and grinned.

"I'll find him no matter what, Hinata. I promise." She looked over at him and smiled sadly.

"T-Thank you, Naruto-kun. I wish I could help." Naruto nodded and stood up.

"Don't worry! We found him once, and we can do it again. That damn guy just won't sit still, will he?" Naruto folded his arms behind his head and smiled. He also missed his best friend. Tsunade made sure to keep them apart while Sasuke got back on track. But now it was no excuse—he had to find him again to drag him back. Naruto turned to leave, but he stopped and glanced back at the girl sitting on the bed.

"Sasuke is a lucky guy to have you by his side." And with that, he left her there to bury her head in her hands. The phrase 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' rang very true for her. But Hinata was a strong person, and she would do her best to ensure that when Sasuke came home that he wouldn't have to be alone anymore.

* * *

"Absolutely not." Tsunade said as she leaned back in her chair.

"Why!?" Naruto said extending out his arms dramatically. The Fifth Hokage sighed and closed her eyes. The Academy was finishing its repairs and missions were coming in left and right. The ANBU gave up after a week of looking for the Uchiha and even a group of Hyuuga ninja that Hiashi ordered out were unsuccessful.

"We have more important things for you to be doing. _That's_ why." She said and opened her honey colored eyes to stare down Uzumaki Naruto in front of her. He cursed under his breath. "Besides, we've tried to find him. What makes you think you can do better than the ANBU?"

"They don't _know_ Sasuke like I do! We've found him before, and we'll find him again. Besides, when I make a promise I follow through on it." This got a small chuckle from Tsunade as she stood up and folded her arms across her chest. Naruto was always so eager to jump blindly into something.

"Oh? A promise, huh?" She figured it wasn't Sakura since her affections had shifted. Tsunade smiled softly, and the slight thought of romance brought her to remember her own past. _Ahh, kids…_ Naruto frowned during this silence, because he didn't want to throw Hinata into their conversation. The Fifth Hokage let out a sigh that turned into a scowl. This boy always knew how to get underneath her skin and walk all over her.

"Fine. Who all are you considering to take?" Naruto grinned as if he was almost keeping score of his won arguments with Tsunade. Before either could blink, Shizune burst into the Hokage's office with a few scrolls in her arms.

"Shizune! This better be important!" Tsunade snapped and her assistant bowed slightly as an apology.

"Tsunade-sama… this is something I think you should see." Tsunade's irritated look softened slowly as she was handed a scroll. They both looked intently at the information within it and began whispering to each other. Naruto's frown became more apparent, and he lazily folded his hands behind his head.

"Tsunade-Ba-Chann!" He said irritably. Naruto didn't like being cast aside when there were important matters at hand. She ignored him and looked into yet another scroll from Shizune and a smirk spread across her pink lips. Her eyes looked at Shizune with approval and then gave her a slight nod.

"Well, it will take some time. She is in no condition to learn such a jutsu at this point. It will take months for her to even heal enough to begin." Tsunade said, her eyes settling on Shizune again. "But, I think with some motivation on both of our ends, we could make it work."

"Tsunade-Ba-Chann!" exclaimed Naruto as if he were a child who wasn't getting the attention he wanted. Tsunade had almost forgotten about him and she heaved a sigh. _A drink… that's all I need!_

"Right, Naruto… there has been a change in plans."


	13. Chapter 13

The electricity in his hand made his body tingle with excitement. He could feel his adrenaline running at full force as Sasuke began to run. _Naruto…! It's time. _ His eyebrows furrowed while his Sharingan circled. Sasuke could see Naruto kneeling down and looking like a helpless child. He didn't care anymore. He had nothing to lose and the nine-tailed fox host was getting closer to him. Sasuke poured the rest of his chakra and being into this one single attack and he struck Naruto at full force. Those lavender eyes stared straight into his soul as Naruto dissolved into the girl he cherished so much. Sasuke couldn't stop, and he watched helplessly as his Chidori tore away at her flesh.

"No…!" Sasuke whispered. The electricity disappeared and her eyes seemed lifeless. He caught her falling body in his arms and looked down at her expressionless face. He panicked as he shook her as if it would help her awaken. "Hinata! Hinata! Wake up!" Her eyes slowly opened. Sasuke felt like throwing up when he saw they now were snake-like. _How dare he…!_ Hinata's soft lips turned into a menacing grin and her laugh sent shivers all the way down to the bone.

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata growled and Sasuke could feel his heart racing. _This isn't Hinata. This is…_ "Did you miss me?" She laughed once more and her body turned into a mass of slithering snakes. Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger as he dropped them and he stood up.

"Orochimaru… WHERE ARE YOU?" He looked around wildly and Orochimaru's chuckle could be heard.

"You thought that I was gone, didn't you Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke could feel the pain in his head returning like it did the last dream he had. He tried to ignore it but it was almost blinding. Sasuke could hear Orochimaru speaking to him, but he couldn't make out the words. The pain was enough for tears to form in his eyes.

Sasuke woke up to his own screams and he sat up covered in sweat. His room was dark, except for the bright moonlight that shone on the floor. His heart was racing and he looked around to make sure it really was just a dream. The blankets were tangled around his legs and his hair was stuck to his sweaty face. Sasuke fought with the blankets for a moment before he swung over his legs on the edge of the bed. Leaning forward on his knees, Sasuke tried to compose himself. He would never tell anyone, but he was terrified. This dream wasn't the first one since he had been on the run. Orochimaru and Hinata haunted his dreams almost weekly and it was beginning to take a toll on him.

Sasuke took a deep breath and stood up. The moonlight was bright in his room as he staggered over to the sliding door. The cool breeze hitting his sweaty face was heaven and he sat down outside. Uchiha Sasuke had been on the run for eight whole months, and he guessed that his chakra-hiding jutsu was working. It was a forbidden jutsu that he stumbled upon in a room at Orochimaru's hideout and figured it would come in handy while he looked for his brother. He never thought he would use like this.

Needless to say, Sasuke still wondered about if Konoha was looking for him. He currently resided in a small house just a few miles outside of Kusagakure, which was located to the northwest of his home village in a whole other country nonetheless. He tried not to stay in the same place for more than a few months, but he didn't have anywhere in particular he was going. The grass blew in the wind around his house and the smell of the forest nearby calmed his nerves. Sasuke sat up straight and closed his eyes; meditation was helpful when nightmares were running rampant in his brain.

Sasuke didn't trust anyone. He worked under the table doing low-rank missions since there was a sharp decrease of Genin in Kusagakure. In fact, there weren't many ninja at all as they had been called to ally a few bordering countries to the west. That worked out just fine for Sasuke, though. He worked all the small missions and earned a steady paycheck. It was refreshing for him to concentrate on something other than his own life. Besides, it kept him busy and still up to par on his ninja skills. But the weight of his problems still weighed like heavy bricks on his shoulders and he was reminded of it every night. Any normal person would have given in to their own insanity but Sasuke was good about keeping bad experiences locked tight in the little nooks and crannies in his own mind. Working under the table also meant that it kept anyone off his trail and well… so far so good.

Even though Sasuke kept busy throughout the day, at night his mind would race. He didn't know how Itachi could single-handedly take out hundreds of people and live with their blood stained on his hands. Sasuke had killed plenty of innocent people in the past, but there was no bond to rip off. It was disturbingly easy for him to take the life of someone he didn't have a relationship with. Sasuke had almost killed the one person who seemed to understand his silence and his way of life. He would go back and forth with his ego and pride about how it was_ her_ fault for getting so close to him… as if he was a wild animal who could attack at any moment. But sometimes he would lie in bed at night and just simply wish she was there. Sasuke always thought of her smile and the way that she would chew on her lip when she was nervous. He even missed it when her long hair would get caught in her eye lashes and she had to shake her head to get it loose. But he would usually scowl those feelings away like it didn't matter even though he knew it did.

Sasuke recalled laughing in Naruto's face one day about his admiration for Sakura. _Ninja don't need love. It only makes things complicated._ He remembered saying that as if it were yesterday. He always walked around claiming he didn't care about any of his team mates and he even attempted to kill both of them at some point. He would quarrel mentally with himself constantly because he kept coming to the conclusion that he was wrong every time. Sasuke was wrong for seeking revenge and thinking that Orochimaru could help him. Sasuke was wrong for letting the anger control him to almost killing his friends multiple times. For someone who always claimed to be right, being wrong was a _very _bitter taste in his mouth.

He was good at not showing the village people his face, and kept much to himself. If he wasn't out working on a mission, Sasuke was at his small house reading old scrolls he acquired from the local library. Sasuke even created his own training area not far from his home in the forest. He had to control his chakra better than usual or else the forbidden jutsu would weaken. Paranoia was now a new feeling he had to work around as well. Even though is face always remained expressionless, there was a swirl of emotion inside his mind. Sasuke opened his eyes to gaze at the early morning rays that were beginning to peak out from behind the grassy hills. Normally the lack of sleep would weigh on a ninja's mind, but he was used to it. Sasuke grew up with nightmares and he was even a light sleeper during his time with Orochimaru as well.

His nerves had finally calmed from the meditation and he no longer shook with fear. Sasuke, satisfied with this, got up to go back inside. Although it was nothing like what Masaru was going to build for him, it was still a functional house. He often thought about what Masaru was doing… He obviously never finished the rebuilding of the district. His three months were up long ago. Even Taro would be on his thoughts whenever he would pass by a young child in the village. Sometimes he missed having something to go after; looking for his brother was something to keep him moving forward and rebuilding the district was also something worthwhile. Now he was just wandering aimlessly in life with no focus. Sasuke recalled thinking about how he might actually settle down once his district was rebuilt. Perhaps he would start a family and keep the Uchiha name alive. Those thoughts were gone now, since he had to hide the identity of who he really was to everyone. If word got out that an Uchiha was in Kusagakure, then Konoha would be immediately notified. He was probably a wanted ninja with a bounty on his head. Just the thought of Hyuuga Hiashi arranging for his capture and possible murder just made his guilt even worse.

Sasuke took a quick shower, letting the warmth of the water bring him comfort. There was little socializing for him and the simplest things like a warm shower reminded him of better days. He knew that he couldn't be on the run forever, but it was the only option at this point. His life had become dull and there wasn't much worth waking up for. But sleeping was also a scary thing just knowing that his dreams would haunt him with his most feared thoughts: Orochimaru and harming Hinata. As Sasuke dried off, he leaned forward on his sink and ran a hand over his fogged up mirror. His dark eyes were dull, a frown line was forming between his eyebrows, and the resemblance of his brother was getting more distinct. The steam from the shower swirled around him as beads of water still slipped down his locks of hair. He heaved a heavy sigh and began to get ready for the day.

The sun was more prominent now and the birds were awake as well, chirping away throughout the trees. Sasuke walked along the path through the forest to get to the village. The walk was usually pleasant for him because it gave him time to observe his surroundings just in case anything was to happen along the way. Sasuke's stomach began to feel strange and he stopped walking. The sun's rays danced between the leaves of the trees and the birds got quiet. He kept a calm composure on the outside, but paranoia was running laps in his head. _Did they find me_? Sasuke stood there for what seemed like an eternity listening for any signs of a shinobi. He seemed satisfied when nothing more seemed out of the ordinary, so he continued his usual way into the village.

Kusagakure, the village hidden in the grass, was always quiet when he arrived. Sasuke would give them credit that they were smart when it came to tactics used in the field. He remembered reading about them at the Academy and how they were very observant when it came to other countries around them. Perhaps that was why many of the ninja were always at the borders just watching and almost anticipating something. Not all ninja were gone, however. Sasuke noticed a few of the elite in and out which meant that Kusagakure was very secretive and not as vulnerable as they may seem. He found it easy to compare to Konoha and find each pro and con. Perhaps he was just biased.

The village wasn't new to Sasuke. He vaguely remembered Orochimaru having a base here that they stayed in for a short while. His memories of those parts of his life were very blurry, almost as if he was ashamed of it. Perhaps this location was the reason for his dreams, but he'd never know. Sasuke walked the streets and avoided eye contact with the few who were also out that morning. He had to be smart of it—not draw enough attention to cause a stir, but to also not be so much of a stranger that people begin to get in his business. Sasuke entered an old building and inside sat a few empty desks. One, however, was occupied with an older man who was writing things down on a scroll. Sasuke approached the old man with his hands in his pockets.

"There aren't any missions for you today." The old man said without looking up from his work. Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"I find that hard to believe." Sasuke said coolly. The old man grunted a sarcastic laugh and looked up to the boy.

"A few forces from the border have been withdrawn and returned last night. I don't need you." Sasuke frowned, but this wasn't uncommon. Kusagakure was very inconsistent with their ninjas, but perhaps that was because Sasuke was on the outside looking in. He shrugged his shoulders and turned his back to leave. The old man said nothing more to the Uchiha. He had mentioned before that it was technically against the rules to allow ninja from other countries to complete their missions. Sasuke of course had to lie about where he was from which got complicated. It was something he did often during his travels with Orochimaru so it was a bit easier for him than before.

Using this free time, Sasuke decided to do a couple of errands while he was in the village. He stopped at the grocery store for a few things and after he left that strange feeling came back in the pit of his stomach. Sasuke stopped to glance around the street in the village. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the endless stream of 'what ifs' plagued his mind. _Could this village be spying on me? _ It wouldn't really surprise him and he wondered if maybe he was due to find another place to run off to. That would take some careful thought and planning. Sasuke left the village with a few bags of food that should last him another few days.

On his walk home, Sasuke would occasionally bring a hand up to his chest. It did feel strange to not have the Uchiha pendant around his neck and he sort of missed having it in his possession. But Sasuke would always remember why he no longer had it, and his thoughts would turn dark. His father would be disappointed to know that the last of the Uchiha clan was on the run. _You are an Uchiha, Sasuke. You must be nothing but great._ Those words used to fuel his motivation during the Academy days and even when he was training with Orochimaru. But now they just left a sense of worthlessness and even shame.

Just a year ago, Sasuke was searching for Itachi. His life was full of excitement and meaning. Even when he was in Konoha with Masaru and Hinata, there was something there to keep him going. And now, the almighty Uchiha Sasuke spent his days in solitude and constantly looking over his shoulder. It was no way to live. Often his thoughts wandered back to Hinata and he wondered how she was. Sasuke wondered if she ever pulled through and even if she was able to continue being a shinobi. Those thoughts always made him sick to his stomach and he tried to focus on other things.

Sasuke thought of all of these things on his walk back to the house that was a few miles outside of the village. It was enough distance to keep nosy people out, but close enough to get the things he needed. When he did reach 'home', Sasuke put away his groceries and decided training would be a good way to keep his mind off of his past and the terrible nightmares. The training area he set up was just a little ways away from his home, into the forest. It was perfect because there was no one to have to share it with and he could really let loose. He grabbed his pack of kunai, shurikens and his sword before he headed out.

The sun was now at its highest, signifying that it was around noon when he reached the training grounds. It was set up just the way he liked it; targets for throwing practice and a few straw bales set up for taijutsu. The wind blew back the hair away from his face and he tried to concentrate with the forbidden jutsu still something to keep up with. Sasuke began to revert back to training techniques he mastered under his time with Orochimaru. The Chidori Current was a personal favorite, so he began with that using it on the straw bales.

It was a refreshing way to spend his 'day off', but every so often his thoughts would go back to when he helped Hinata with her shuriken throwing or when they sparred those few times. Sasuke even recalled when he tried to kiss her like an idiot. _Ch… she would never love me. She would never love a failure._ He remembered the nightmare, and this just fueled the chakra and he began to work in kunai into his training. He threw them with exact precision, each landing on the bull's eye on the targets. Sasuke stopped, kneeling down on the ground as he tried to catch his breath.

The feeling in the pit of his stomach returned and before Sasuke could look over his shoulder, a kunai with a paper bomb attached landed right before him. _Shit…!_ He managed to back flip out of the way, and took shelter on a branch in a tree. Sasuke shielded his eyes as the dust from the explosion began to surround him and he tried to see who had just attacked him.

Sasuke could sense someone down below and he moved with lightning fast reflexes to appear behind them. It was a familiar presence, and as the dust settled, Sasuke's eyes widened a little. Before he had a chance to do anything, a gloved fist came at him from the dust and he backed up just in time. Sasuke felt his lips curve downward in a frown. _Damnit. They found me._ But Sasuke had missed the challenge in his life, so he gladly accepted it from his former team mate.

Haruno Sakura had chakra glowing hands as she came at Uchiha Sasuke in his training area. Sasuke dodged them easily, and he decided he would give her a run for her money before he asked questions. He was aware at how powerful her blows were after receiving training from Tsunade. Not only was she skilled as a medical ninja, but she was also one not to take lightly with her chakra enhanced strength. Sasuke noted that she had improved greatly from their Team Seven days, but she was nowhere near the skill that he was. He didn't even think he'd need to waste chakra on her. Sasuke smirked as she came at him again.

"Hmph, I'm disappointed." Sasuke said with an amused tone as he leaped out of the way of her fist and she yelled in frustration at him. _This boy…!_

"Yahhh!" Sakura sent a punch straight to the ground as the immense force sent chakra grumbling through the earth towards Sasuke. He jumped up branches on the trees around him, but it was a short term place to hide as trees were uprooted and a small crater was what remained. Sakura was breathing heavy as her eyes looked around wildly for the Uchiha. The wind and leaves blew past her and she wiped sweat from her forehead.

"Sasuke-kun!" She whispered to herself and then realized there was something behind her. Sakura cursed under her breath.

"Leave me alone." Sasuke growled before she had the chance to leap away. Sakura narrowed her eyebrows and leaped forward just missing the blade from his sword. She whipped around with shurikens in her hands and threw them at him mid-air. The entire training grounds were now completely destroyed and the earth was uneven as they went back and forth.

"Sasuke-kun… you don't understand!" She cried throwing her last kunai, then falling to one knee. Sasuke smirked as he approached her. His usual features had little to no expression and his eyes were dull as he stood before her.

"No, _you_ don't understand. All of you, including your idiot 'boyfriend', can keep your noses out of my business. I never needed any of you to help me." Sasuke said with a monotone voice. Sakura frowned and stood up with more confidence. Her fist got tighter in her glove and she reached up to slap him across the face. _How dare he bring Naruto into this… _At first, Sakura thought she landed it quite well, but the Uchiha disappeared in a puff of smoke and a log landed at her feet. Her eyes darted around for Sasuke, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Damnit…" Sakura said.

"Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!" A giant fireball came from Sakura's right side and the air got hot. She shielded her eyes from the heat and tried to move backwards. It was at this moment that she wished she knew actual jutsu's.

"Let's go, Gamatutsu!" Suddenly a blast of water and hot steam erupted as it went up against Sasuke's fire ball. Sasuke, who was hidden to the side behind a mound of over turned rock, stopped his jutsu.

"Ch…" He knew that Naruto had the ability to summon the toads, but using actual jutsu's with them was another story. Naruto ran to Sakura's side and knelt down. His eyes glared over at the Uchiha. Sasuke was beginning to get irritated—now it was getting serious. The last time he saw Naruto was when he watched Hinata being taken to the Konoha hospital. It made his stomach churn at the thought but he ignored it. Sakura stood up and nodded over to Naruto. Sasuke could feel a strange tingle in his body and it was one hundred percent rage. His head was swimming with the question of _how did they find him?_ Sasuke knew that the jutsu was working, and yet here was his former team.

"Sakura-chan… it's time." Naruto said to her. Sasuke raised his eyebrow in curiosity but he soon found out what the plan was. Sakura's fist glowed blue with chakra and she sent another shockwave to the ground beneath straight towards Sasuke. _It's gonna take more than that._ Sasuke simply leaped backwards, but another blast was coming towards him causing him to almost have to flee the area as it became unstable. He managed to jump onto a branch of a tree that was on the edge of the blast zone as the earth began to up root the forest behind him.

"What is going on!?" Sasuke growled to himself as he ran tree to tree from the small earth quake that was following him. The clearing of the forest was ahead and he could see the tall grass which meant he was getting closer to his home. Sasuke jumped from the last tree on the forest line and slide to his knees. Looking back wildly at what was left of the forest, Sakura had stopped. The air was still, and all was quiet except for the chirping of the birds. With his Sharingan still activated, he felt something strange once again. Sasuke stood up straight, and the earth right below his feet began to crack. But it was different from before. _Kakashi... he should know better than that._ Just as his former sensei emerged from the ground below, he jumped back, now just feet away from the porch of his home. Sasuke frowned as Kakashi brushed dirt from his sleeves.

"I thought we agreed me leaving was the best situation." Sasuke said dully. Kakashi looked over at him casually and grinned underneath his mask. _This is strange. Why are they holding back?_ He noticed it ever since Sakura first attacked him. If they were really going to try to capture him, then why use the weakest and more vulnerable member of the team? Naruto didn't even bother with his Rasengan _or _shadow clones. It was painfully obvious that they weren't there to detain or arrest him.

"We did." Kakashi said as he shifted his weight. His half-lidded eye seemed to sparkle secretly. Sasuke frowned watching him closely. With his sword in hand, Sasuke was about to charge when a kunai whizzed from behind and landed in front of him. He turned around, his Sharingan circling and then he saw her.

Hyuuga Hinata stood behind him, her long hair flowing gently in the wind. Everything about her was the same as he remembered except his Uchiha pendant hung around her neck. Sasuke simply stared at her and she approached him cautiously.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Hinata murmured. His legs felt like jelly and his entire body suddenly felt heavy. He didn't say anything for the longest time. What could he say? When she got closer, he could smell her scent and he thought about leaving. He felt like an idiot; ashamed that he almost killed her and embarrassed that he had let his life come down to anger. Her eyes watched him and she looked down to the pendant that lay on her chest. She bit her lower lip and slowly took it off. Hinata felt her hair cascade down her shoulders as she did; it was warm in her hand when she held it out to him.

Sasuke stared at it for a moment and then knocked it out of her hand. Hinata would have been offended if he didn't wrap his arms around her. Her cheeks flushed at the sudden invasion of her bubble, but she didn't care. Hinata felt tears form as she nuzzled his chest and let him pull her close.

"Hinata…" He whispered while his lips brushed her forehead. "I…" She pulled back and looked up at the face she had missed so dearly. It had been eight whole months since that day and she thought about him non-stop. "I'm sorry."

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata felt her soft lips tug into a smile as happiness was overflowing in her body. "It wasn't your fault." He didn't say anything and her smile flattened out to a thin line.

"Why did you leave?" Sasuke couldn't look her in the eye and he turned his back to her. _Because I'm a wanted ninja and my life is a disaster. _

"I don't belong there." He simply said as the wind blew his bangs into his eyes. The tall grass seemed dance around them while bugs fluttered by. Hinata took a step forward and grabbed his hand.

"But… your district!" She tried to sound more confident but her emotions made it come out at a squeak. Sasuke felt her small hand grasping his and it only made him realize she deserved so much better. _Maybe Orochimaru was right after all. _

"I'm not going back." Sasuke said through gritted teeth. As much as he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and return for a happily ever after, that wasn't how it worked in the real world. There were a number of reasons Konoha wouldn't welcome him back with open arms. Hinata was quiet for a long time and she squeezed his hand until he looked back at her.

"Sasuke-kun… I know you won't believe me but I spoke with your mother!" Hinata's soft voice was beginning to gain confidence. He narrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I saw her… in a dream! Please… please come back." Sasuke frowned and recalled the time he, too, had a dream involving his mother. _No…! I'm not good enough to be an Uchiha_. Sasuke forced himself to release her hand and he stared straight at her.

"I'm not going back." He repeated with a more harsh tone. Hinata felt a little light inside of her die and a tear slipped down her cheek. She stared down at her feet. Then another emotion stirred inside of her little body as her hands formed fists.

"Why won't you let anyone care about you!?" She cried, and Sasuke stared at her with surprise at her outburst. He remembered Sakura asking him the same question a year ago when he was in the hospital. His response then was that he didn't need anyone to care for him. The truth was that Sasuke was scared to let his demons out. He didn't know what might happen if he let go of his anguish and pain. He was terrified of the unknown. Hinata felt hot tears in her eyes and these sudden feelings were overwhelming for her.

"Sasuke." Kakashi spoke up from behind him and he ignored it. He knew the lecture was coming. "Hinata spent the past eight months mastering an incredibly challenging jutsu." Sasuke listened curiously even though his face remained emotionless.

"It's a different form of the Byakugan that can detect a certain chakra, but only if they have something as a reference." Kakashi continued and he walked over to pick up the Uchiha pendant. He held it by the chain as the Uchiha symbol seemed to shine. Sasuke frowned at this and he looked away as if disinterested. Kakashi heaved a small sigh.

"Just like my tracking dogs, they need a scent for reference. Hinata needed a reference of chakra and she used your father's chakra inside this pendant. Since you are of the same clan and blood related… they are almost identical." _So that's how they found me…_ Sasuke looked over at the Hyuuga heiress. It must have been a very hard thing for her to accomplish, especially in such a short amount of time. A voice in his head kept saying 'no'. Sasuke didn't need anyone to find him. He didn't need the care and support of them. He was doing just fine on his own. Sasuke would need to keep shutting people out; it was better that way. Hinata deserved better than him anyway.

"Well, congratulations." Sasuke said bitterly. Inside he regretted saying it because the saddest look he had ever seen washed over her face. He was about to walk away when Hinata activated her Byakugan. With quick movements, the Hyuuga formed chakra in her hands and she sent two fingers to a spot on the side of his neck. Sasuke was frozen against his own will as he stared into her Kekkei Genkai. Her face was beginning to get blurry as she put pressure on a chakra point. The last thing he remembered was the look on her face before it turned to darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

I love this chapter. :3 You will too...I hope!

* * *

The water below Sasuke's dangling feet rippled every time his toes would touch the surface. He watched his reflection warp and then become normal again. This time of year was perfect to go fishing at the dock and he remembered coming to this very spot with a few of his cousins. It was back in simpler days; back when being a ninja was still a far off memory and the only worry on his mind was making it back home in time for dinner. But instead of seeing a smiling young face in the water, he saw an older and angry image. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't the same kid anymore, thanks to his brother. The sun's rays were warm on his face and he shielded his eyes to watch a bird swoop down to the water then curve back into the sky.

"Still sitting with a hunch in your back, I see." Sasuke's skin tingled with goose bumps as an old familiar voice registered in his ears. There was only one person who would nag at his awful posture. He pulled up his feet quickly to see his father standing on the dock with him. He looked exactly like he remembered; graying hair and icy cool eyes that would even put Naruto in his place.

"Father…" He said while a sense of joy bubbled inside. So many years passed and only nightmares of his family plagued him. But now, actual contact was being made. He wasn't sure how or why, but he truly enjoyed it. Sasuke's father crossed his arms, a very small smile registering on his lips. In fact, to the normal passerby, they would consider it a frown but to Sasuke it meant the world to him.

"Sasuke, where is the pendant that was handed down to you?" Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but he suddenly felt very childish as if his father was back to scold him even in death. The truth was he was careless with it and threw it away. _Oh wait… Hinata had it last._

"It's in good hands." Sasuke said grimly. His father closed his eyes as if he was calculating his next response.

"It should be in _your _hands. You are an Uchiha and I didn't raise you to be careless." That familiar harsh voice he remembered from his child hood was almost music to his ears. Even though his father was stern, much like Hyuuga Hiashi, Sasuke had missed it. He had little to no guidance after his clan's passing so even though he was getting scolded, he welcomed it.

"I-I'm sorry." Sasuke said sheepishly. No one ever talked to him like that and it was strange to see such a high and mighty person being talked down to. But it was his father after all and if this was the time he got with him, then fine. "Father… I don't deserve anything you left."

"Nonsense." Sasuke's father quickly struck down that statement and approached his son closer. The wind blew in, creating small choppy waves in the water. Sasuke remembered as a child he only came to his father's waist. Now he was well at his shoulders. "Is this how you want us to be remembered?" Sasuke's gaze focused elsewhere as if he was ashamed.

"I couldn't do anything right. I couldn't get my revenge, I couldn't rebuild the district and I couldn't control my anger." Sasuke said flatly as if he was talking more to himself. His father frowned and was silent for a moment.

"Do you remember when I taught you the fire ball technique, Sasuke?" He remembered it as if it were yesterday. Sasuke could even remember the twinge of the burns that had formed around his lips. He slowly nodded. "How many times did it take you to master it?"

"Well…" Sasuke's voice trailed off as he tried to count.

"It took many times, but you did it. Can you tell me why you did it?" Sasuke was confused for a moment and he couldn't form an answer.

"You did it for me, not for your own benefit." There was silence as he paused. "How long did it take you to master the Chidori and other petty jutsus?" His father went on as if in lecture mode. He must be referring to his time spent with Orochimaru as those 'petty jutsus'. Sasuke lowered his head, his eye brows narrowing. His father continued.

"It took many times, but you did it. Why? For Itachi. And now, Sasuke, you try to do something for yourself and you cannot." There was silence again and Sasuke finally found the courage to look back at his father.

"Not just for me, for the Uchiha!" He tried to explain. This was frustrating him. His father had been watching him all along.

"You _are_ an Uchiha. You can cast yourself aside until the day you die but the blood that runs through your veins is from me, your grandfather, and everyone else. The Sharingan that turns in your eyes is a part of being an Uchiha too." Sasuke frowned. His father uncrossed his arms and rested his hands on his son's shoulders.

"You are my son. Stop worrying about what you think you have failed at and what you have excelled at. The time for revenge is gone; the time to be angry is gone." His father's hands returned to his side. Sasuke felt like something heavy had been lifted from his shoulders with it and he nodded.

"I…" He said trying not to let his voice crack. "I will make you proud, father." They both shared a smile. Sasuke was used to his father being very short, often offering advice through strange riddles. But now it was loud and clear.

"You always have made me proud, Sasuke. Don't settle for anything but greatness." And that was the last thing his father said to him before everything dissolved around him.

* * *

Loud banging of a hammer awoke him from his deep slumber and Sasuke couldn't open his eye lids any faster. He sat up straight, and looked around at his surroundings. _Where…am I?_ Memories of his former team coming at him and Hinata flooded back and he rubbed his eyes groggily. The pounding kept interrupting his thoughts and he looked at the window to his left irritably. He didn't recognize where he was at all—it wasn't a hospital and it wasn't his house back in Kusagakure. Sasuke gazed around the room and he decided it was someone's bedroom. The hammer stopped, and he began to get curious. Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, he stood up.

"About damn time you got up." A familiar voice caused him to look at the doorway and there stood Masaru with a hammer in his hand. Sasuke was extremely confused.

"Old man?"

"Knock that shit off. I've told you a million times, I'm not old." Masaru said and pointed his hammer at him threateningly. Sasuke realized he must be back in Konoha but he had no idea where he was. Perhaps in a temporary loft until Tsunade could figure out what she wanted to do with him. He crossed his arms.

"Where am I?" Masaru paused and gave him a look of 'oh, you don't know?'. He walked into the room and rested a hand on his hip.

"Well, I suppose you would call it home." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Sasuke was still confused, but his brain began to slowly piece together what was going on. This was…his home? He just stared at the man before him and Masaru scowled. "Normal people say 'thank you' but I guess you never really were normal to begin with." Sasuke ignored that. He had a million questions swirling in his brain.

"How? Why?" He blurted out, not sure where to start. Masaru laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"Most of it was Hinata's doing. She convinced me to keep building long before you left. But I was gonna do it anyway. Be damn thankful of that woman 'cause she busted her ass looking for you." Sasuke looked away sheepishly. _Damnit, I'm not good at this stuff._

"Where is she?"

"Check the garden." Masaru said with a twinkle in his eye. His stomach churned and he suddenly felt nervous for some reason, but Sasuke took this opportunity to check out the house. Everything was just as it had been planned when Masaru first mapped it out. It was simple, but it was also a close replica of his previous home in the Uchiha District. He walked over to a wall and noticed that the photos he had found in his box were hanging in frames. Everything was perfect. Sasuke had never felt so grateful before. Even though Masaru was ordered by the Hokage to help him build the house, he went of his way to continue to build…all for him.

Sasuke eventually found his way outside on the wooden walkway that surrounded his home. He looked over in the direction of the garden and he was slightly taken back. It was beautiful. There were many flowers that had bloomed and it looked _nothing_ like it did before he left. Sasuke found the courage to walk out towards it. The entire time his heart raced; he was nervous to approach Hinata but at the same time he missed her dearly. As he got closer, he noticed something different as well. Sasuke had never paid attention to how the layout of the garden would be so it was quite the surprise. The garden was laid out in a half circle and in the middle was a large gleaming stone slightly bigger than the one for Konoha's memorial.

And then he saw her. Hinata had a watering can as she showered the flowers with bright droplets of water. The breeze blew back her hair gently as it always did and he stopped to watch her for a moment. _She did this for me. All of this was for me. But why?_ Hinata turned around and gasped gently when she saw he was watching her.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun…" Hinata whispered. She put down the watering can as he approached her. They stood in front of the memorial, and Sasuke looked over at it.

"Hyuuga," He said. Her cheeks flushed. Hinata wondered if perhaps he was angry with her for forcibly making him return to Konoha. He looked back towards her, his face expressionless. On the inside his brain was swarming with questions and his stomach wasn't settling right. There were many things he wanted to ask and say to her, but he was feeling almost stage fright. She opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry…for… you know." Her voice trailed off trying to reference when she basically paralyzed and knocked him unconscious. Sasuke frowned and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't know you cared that much." He said, almost teasingly. And if Hinata hadn't of known of his dry humor she might have been embarrassed. Her cheeks did grow warm at that though. "Honestly, I figured your father, or your cousin, would have gotten to me first."

"I wouldn't allow it." Hinata said suddenly. Sasuke smirked; he was amused at how she thought she had authority over her father and Neji. His eyes wandered down innocently to her chest and noticed that the Uchiha pendant was gleaming in the sun. _Father…_ Hinata noticed he was staring at the pendant and she looked panicked almost. "Oh… I'm sorry. Here." She took it off gently and held it out to him. Sasuke took it and looked at it in his open hand.

"It looked better on you." He said simply which prompted a blush from the Hyuuga. Sasuke slipped it on over his head and it rested on his chest. He suddenly felt happier. "How did you use it to find me?"

"Oh. Well…" Hinata recalled back to time when Tsunade had approached her at the hospital with the new jutsu. "It t-took a while to master, because it needed a lot of concentration. I just held it in my hand before my Byakugan and I was able to see farther than usual, too." Sasuke chewed on that for thought.

"But I was hundreds of miles away." Hinata nodded.

"Yes. It took a considerable amount of chakra and concentration. It's a forbidden jutsu for the Hyuuga's…mainly because it could cause significant damage not only to our eyes but our nervous system as well." Sasuke stared at her astonished. Hinata noticed his facial features soften.

"B-But I was trained correctly by my father of course." She added reassuringly. Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes.

"So he doesn't want to kill me, then?" He said. Hinata smiled gently and shook her head. Sasuke was surprised that not only was Hinata able to master a jutsu such as that but to be willingly trained by her father as well. His eyes traveled over to the memorial and he knelt down to observe it. It was a rectangular rock with a large plaque in the middle; every name of the Uchiha clan was engraved…including Uchiha Itachi. His fingers ran over his name and he began to feel anger again. Sasuke gripped the pendant in his other hand, remembering what his father told him. _The time to be angry is gone_.

"Um… I hope this memorial is okay." Hinata's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Sasuke didn't say anything for a few seconds, and he stood up.

"It's perfect." Sasuke said so quietly that Hinata almost missed what he said. She beamed upon hearing it. He looked over at her and the smile on her lips gave him a funny feeling in his stomach. Sasuke had been on edge for the past eight months and even beyond that. Ever since he returned to Konoha, nothing settled right with him. But now he felt more at ease and more at...home.

"Why did you do all this? Why did you go out of your way to find me?" Sasuke asked almost accusingly. Hinata's cheeks returned to their rosy color and she avoided his gaze. The truth was…she wasn't entirely sure. She had a hard time saying no to people, but this certainly wasn't just a case of 'Hinata being nice'. Hinata chewed on her lip, searching for the right answer.

"Um… well, because we're friends?" Hinata managed to come up with something. Sasuke rolled his eyes at her poor answer and moved closer to her.

"Bullshit, Hyuuga." He said and she looked up to see him just inches away from her face. "Tell me the real reason why." Sasuke was challenging her feelings. Hinata had thought about him endlessly for the past eight months; between helping the rebuilding process of the house to the garden all the way to learning a new and dangerous jutsu just to track him down. Hinata frowned, now seeing how silly her answer was to him.

"I…" Hinata could barely breathe and her knees were shaking. Sasuke was so close to her almost like the time he tried to kiss her before. She could smell the earthy scent from the soap he used and it was enticing. Sasuke was getting closer as his hand reached up to cup her cheek and she closed her eyes, just waiting. She had always thought about _it_, especially after he had already tried before. Her first kiss…

"SASUKE-SAN!" Their moment was promptly interrupted by a bounding Taro who was running like the wind from the newly built house. Hinata heard Sasuke growl as he pulled away to look over. She had to smile as she, too, watched Taro run up to them. He jumped into Sasuke's arms and he was instantly annoyed. He looked over at Hinata who was hiding a laugh behind her fingers.

"Forgot about him…" Sasuke grumbled while Taro asked questions at rapid fire.

"Where were you!? Did you miss me? Did you miss Hinata-san? Do you like your new house? Where were you!?" Taro beamed brightly when Sasuke answered all of his questions with rather short responses. He squirmed out of Sasuke's arms and latched onto Hinata's legs.

"Taro, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be helping your grandfather?" Hinata said with a smile. His eyes went wide.

"Oh yeah… I have a secret message for Sasuke-san." Taro let go and looked to the Uchiha. "Tsunade-sama is waiting for you at the house! She sure is scary." Sasuke furrowed his brows and looked back at Hinata. She seemed just as confused.

* * *

"Well now… welcome back, Uchiha." Tsunade said as Sasuke and Hinata entered the main room of the house. She was sitting at the dinner table with her hands folded and in front of her sat an all too familiar box.

"G-Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama." Hinata smiled politely and Sasuke didn't bother with a proper greeting.

"Lovely new home. Congratulations." Tsunade said rather genuinely.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked coolly. Tsunade felt a vein in her forehead twitch as she ignored that. _I'm starting to wonder if he enjoys pissing me off…_

"Ch… I figured you would have gotten better manners after spending so much time with Hinata." Sasuke rolled his eyes, but then they settled upon the box. He walked towards the table and sat down across from her. Hinata followed and sat down as well.

"Is that…?" Sasuke was referring to the box. He remembered seeing his own box in his bedroom before he left so it could only belong to one other person. Tsunade nodded gently and pushed it forward to him.

"Yes, this box once belonged to Uchiha Itachi."

"Did you go through it?" Sasuke asked irritably. Tsunade scowled. He wasn't showing much gratitude considering all the things that not only she but many other people had done for him since his return.

"Of course I did." She snapped and crossed her arms. "But after analyzing it, there wasn't anything suspicious." Sasuke frowned at the box and pulled it closer to him. It was certainly in better shape than his. The wood was smoother to the touch and the Uchiha symbol was brighter. Sasuke remembered that his was buried simply under dirt so it seemed to make more sense. He then looked over at Hinata, who was also staring at the box with her Byakugan.

"Oh, I'm s-sorry." Hinata felt embarrassed as if he had caught her peaking.

"What did you see?"

"Well… it emits chakra just like yours did, Sasuke-kun." He looked over at the Fifth Hokage as if he needed her approval, and then he slowly opened the box. Inside, there were similar scrolls to the ones found in Sasuke's. Instead of a pendant that Sasuke had received, there was an old looking ring. He picked it up to look at it closer. It was silver with a red Uchiha symbol on the top.

Suddenly, his surroundings blurred. Sasuke looked around cautiously and he seemed to be in what looked like a hotel room. His eyes gazed over at a figure sitting on the bed, and it was his brother. Something was strange as he wasn't wearing his usual Akatsuki robe. Sasuke opened his mouth to call out to him, but it was as if he didn't exist. He seemed to be stuck in a memory or a wrinkle in time. All he could do was watch helplessly. Itachi opened the box that sat in his lap and then looked down the Uchiha ring that was on his finger. He stared at it for quite some time before sliding it off his finger and putting it in the box. Itachi closed it, and from his pocket he pulled out the infamous Akatsuki ring. Sasuke could feel rage boiling in his body as he tried to scream at his brother. _No….! _Itachi put the ring on, and stood up before putting the box underneath some loose floorboards.

"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata's soft voice pulled him out of the memory and Tsunade was staring at him intently.

"Genjutsu?" She asked. Sasuke had to blink a few times to refocus on where he was. The ring seemed so mysterious, but he knew what had happened. It was Itachi's final farewell to the Uchiha's… by replacing his Uchiha ring with the Akatsuki's.

"It's nothing." Sasuke lied and put the ring back in the box. The Fifth Hokage leaned forward with her elbows on the table.

"Tell me, Sasuke. Have you been having strange dreams?" She asked with a more serious tone. His stomach began to churn and he stared at her. _How does she know?_ His silence indicated that she had hit the nail right on the head. "We did some research from the scrolls in Itachi's box."

"Research?"

"Yes. The same seals on your scrolls were on Itachi's. But they are a different kind of seal." She said as she watched his expression.

"Yeah, they were special seals only an Uchiha can break." He said with impatience.

"Mmm, yes. They also open a very small portal through dreams. It is similar to genjutsu, but instead of having a caster, it is activated through the breaking of the seal." Sasuke frowned. _So it wasn't real?_

"So, my dreams are just a part of a genjutsu?"

"Yes and no." Tsunade said. "By the book? Yes but in my mind, no." Hinata was just as confused as Sasuke was. She kept quiet but her hands fidgeted in her lap. Tsunade smiled slightly and tried to make it easier to understand.

"Sasuke, this is a very rare occurrence. The Uchiha clan was full of mystery that not even the Third Hokage knew much about them. They were always making innovating jutsus that could be used in the field, so it is possible they created a different type of genjutsu to somehow still keep in touch with those departed through dreams." Tsunade said. "So while it is not the typical genjutsu you might see Kurenai-sensei use, it is much more powerful." Hinata frowned.

"T-Tsunade-sama… why isn't there a lot of information about the Uchiha clan?" Tsunade sighed and crossed her arms.

"Mostly internal matters… the Uchiha clan never seemed to get along with anyone including the Third Hokage. My guess is that they were very private and left little behind." Sasuke wasn't sure how he felt about this. He already knew that his clan never got along with the others in the village, but the fact that they were creating and building off of powerful jutsus was something that made him secretly smile inside. There was one thing bothering him, though.

"I've been having dreams about Orochimaru." He said bluntly. "They feel real and…" Sasuke stopped before he said anything more that made him look weak. Tsunade stared at him, almost alarmed at this. She thought that name was long gone from conversation. _That bastard… he's still trying to hang on!_

"Well, he's probably using the portal in the dreams to reach you." Tsunade muttered after a few moments of silence. "And my guess is it has something to do with the curse mark. Even though it's gone to the naked eye, there still might be something lingering." Sasuke was silent as he processed this information. After a while, he looked to her.

"Can he hurt me?" Not that Sasuke really cared; he had made Orochimaru bleed on many occasions as well as almost kill him. Tsunade bowed her head in thought with a solid frown on her face.

"That I don't know. I will have to do some digging around." Tsunade stood up. "Come see me in a few days and we'll figure out what to do." Sasuke stood up with the box in his hands. He simply turned and disappeared into his bedroom. Hinata smiled and bowed.

"Ah… t-thank you Tsunade-sama." The Fifth Hokage sighed with a smile.

"How are you feeling?" She said, her face becoming more serious.

"Oh… fine." Tsunade's frown deepened.

"Remember, I'm keeping you off any missions for a few weeks. Naruto told me you had trouble trying to bring the Uchiha back." Hinata blushed out of embarrassment and she lowered her head. Hinata remembered that after Sasuke lost consciousness, she collapsed from utter exhaustion. Not only was her chest wound still in the process of healing all the way, but the forbidden jutsu was very hard on her. Even with all the training she did with her father and all the concentration, it still had its affects just like the Sharingan had on Kakashi.

"H-Hai." Tsunade nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait… I um… I have a question." Hinata said, and the Fifth Hokage glanced over at her behind her shoulder. "I have been having dreams too with Sasuke's mother." Tsunade thought for a moment before smiling.

"Perhaps they've noticed how close you've gotten to Sasuke. Don't worry… those dreams are harmless. Consider yourself lucky that they were willing to contact you." Hinata watched her disappear outside and then heard Masaru's loud voice as they struck up a rather heated conversation. Something about him still owing her… Hinata had to smile. She turned to see where Sasuke had gone, almost unsure if she should enter his bedroom. The door was still open, so Hinata peeked her head in. Sasuke was sitting on the bed with the ring on the palm of his hand. Hinata bit her lower lip and thought maybe she would leave him alone.

"Hinata," Sasuke said and she found the courage to enter his room.

"Yes?" She cautiously sat next to him on the edge of the bed, making sure it wasn't too close. Sasuke stared apathetically at the ring before folding his fingers over it.

"What did my mother say in the dream?" He asked gently as he recalled her talking about it during their confrontation. Hinata's features softened and she looked down at her hands in her lap.

"She said to be patient and…" Her voice trailed off. "That she was glad someone was helping you." Sasuke couldn't help but smile, also remembering the time he was reunited with his mother. But she was right; Sasuke was lucky to have Hinata by his side. They were both silent for a while, and Hinata figured it was time for her to go. She had to meet with Neji for some evening training. Getting to her feet she smoothed down her jacket.

"I will see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." She said with a smile. He watched her stand up and thought for a moment. Before she had a chance to walk away, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Hinata squeaked as she was pulled and found herself sitting in Sasuke's lap. Her cheeks were on fire and the color of a tomato. In a rare moment(for both), he held her close to his chest with her cradled in his arms. She could hear his heart beating fast, but it wasn't as fast as hers.

"Thank you… Hinata." Sasuke said and she could feel the vibration of his voice. Had this of happened with Naruto, she probably would have fainted. But being with Sasuke wasn't 'hot and heavy' like it was with Naruto. With Sasuke it felt cool, calm and _right_. He pulled her away slightly to look at her and he stared into those lavender eyes. His face was emotionless but he had a brain running rampant with happiness and desire. She looked so beautiful to him; cheeks were pink, lips were plump and her eyes seemed to be staring into his soul. Sasuke leaned down and let his lips touch hers gently. Hinata could have died in his arms a happy woman.

It was soft, warm, sensual, and everything she ever dreamed of. She recalled Sakura and Ino discussing how they thought their first kisses would be like Sasuke (of course they never had the chance). Hinata never really thought much of it until now but she was in the arms of the most desirable man in Konoha. But it wasn't _that_ that made it so thrilling. It was how comfortable and content she felt even though she was clearly on the lap of a man-SASUKE for that matter. It was a very intimate moment that Hinata would normally lose consciousness over due to her own modesty. Sasuke pulled away after a few seconds and she saw a small smile spread across his lips- a real, genuine smile.

Still not satisfied, Hinata took a bold move and reached up to pull him down again to her lips. The second kiss was longer, more passionate, and something Hinata decided she enjoyed. If only Kiba could see her now.


	15. Chapter 15

:D Hello. Sorry for the late update. And like usual here's a long one cause I suck! I changed my mind on the whole Orochimaru thing. And in fact I was thinking about ending the story sooner but I can't. So a few more chapters to go and then completion. But I already know that I want to start writing another story. Hinata is just so adorable and she's my favorite! :3 Chapter 15 in all it's glory!

* * *

Tsunade downed another small cup of sake as she read through several scrolls at a table in a quiet corner at a local restaurant. Her eyelids were heavy with exhaustion as she rested her head on an open palm. She had every document pulled that involved the Uchiha clan as well as curses, seals, and genjutsu. Tsunade was good at being observant and remembering every detail in those documents. She was also good at coming up with solutions to the problems that lay in front of her. However this problem had her stumped. Her cheeks were slightly pink due to the alcohol that was flowing through her system. She didn't get to drink very often since her duties as the Hokage took up almost all of her free time so it was getting to her head faster than usual.

"Well, well… drinking on the job I see." A voice interrupted her research and she looked up irritatingly at Hatake Kakashi. Her honey eyes rolled as she reached for the bottle of sake.

"It's impossible to be alone in this village." She muttered and took a swig straight from the bottle. Kakashi didn't seem offended as he sat down across from her. He rested his arm lazy on the chair behind him while he leaned back.

"Any luck?" He asked quietly. Tsunade swallowed the liquid gold in her mouth and set the bottle down with a defeated thud. Kakashi could see the toll that this particular puzzle was taking on her.

"Not as much as I'd like." She sighed as she rolled up a scroll and casting it aside into a pile. Kakashi crossed his arms and watched her with his one eye.

"Just as I feared…" He said casually. "There isn't much to go on with those documents." Tsunade sighed gently and let her eyes rest. It had been almost a week since Tsunade promised Sasuke she'd have a solution for him. It had been weighing on her mind so she was determined to do something.

"I hope that it's just remnants of the curse mark still left and not actually anything to be concerned about." She said but her gut was telling her otherwise. Kakashi seemed to quietly agree. He leaned back deep in thought. Tsunade opened her eyes to watch the silver-haired ninja. Not knowing what to do was leaving a bitter taste in her mouth—she is the Hokage of Konoha and she's dealt with much worse.

"What about Orochimaru's old hide outs? Perhaps there is something left behind with some insight." Kakashi mentioned after a few moments of silence. Tsunade waved her hand at him as if dismissing his idea.

"They've been long destroyed by now. Besides, he was always good about cleaning up after himself." Tsunade said thinking back to his early days. He was a very intelligent person but irresponsible with it. She always wondered if Orochimaru would become something great… and he was, just in the wrong way. The Fifth Hokage drew invisible circles with her finger on the table as she tried to pry open her brain for something more. There was always an answer for everything and as a perfectionist, she would find it.

"Perhaps until we can find the answer, we should teach Sasuke a way to wake himself up. Every genjutsu has a release." Kakashi said. She nodded with a feeling of defeat. It wasn't the answer she was looking for, but there was no other choice.

"Yes. I suppose that will have to do for now." Tsunade stood up from the table and gathered the scrolls in her arms. She looked over at Kakashi. "I know I probably don't have to ask but could you check in on him in the morning? Tell him to come by and see me."

* * *

Sasuke woke up to his Sharingan activated and drenched in sweat. He was gasping for breath as if he had just finished a rigorous training session. Kicking his sheets away from him, he cradled his face in his hands. _Orochimaru…_ The dreams had stopped for a while after his return to Konoha and just as he began to forget about them they came back almost worse than before. The dreams usually varied; sometimes they started off pleasant and then Orochimaru would appear. And other times, they were nightmares from start to end. Each time, Orochimaru would remind Sasuke he wasn't gone. He sat up in his bed and let his feet touch the ground. Tsunade still hadn't come up with any ideas and he was growing impatient. Sasuke decided he would go see her today.

Being back in Konoha was fine for him, but Sasuke was used to more adventure; perhaps he would start getting assigned missions soon. There was no reason for Tsunade _not_ to trust him. Besides, he couldn't stand sitting around all the time. Even though he had been just waiting for a place to call home and settle down in, Sasuke wasn't one to keep still. He got dressed and ready for the day but before he walked out of his bedroom, he made sure that the pendant was safely hanging around his neck.

Life was almost painfully good. Aside from the terrible nightmares, Sasuke was finally starting to settle into a norm; wake up, do chores, training, eat, training, eat and bed. Of course Hinata was in his schedule as well. They spent a lot of time out in the garden by the memorial and occasionally she would help with his training. Sometimes their time together was silent and other times he would listen to her stories. She understood that he didn't have much to say and it never seemed to bother her. Sasuke liked that she looked past the fact of how everyone in Konoha perceived him. Instead, she saw straight into his soul and into who he really was. Sakura never bothered to do that, but perhaps he just pushed her away before she had the chance.

Sasuke exited his house and the wind was cold against him. Winter had arrived in Konoha, but it wasn't the typical winter everyone thought of. Konoha very rarely had anything but sunshine, and on occasion it would rain. Sasuke even remembered snow blanketing the village when he was very little. So winter mainly meant cooler breezes and shorter days. After walking a ways, he noticed Kakashi was standing at the entrance of the district waiting for him. With his hands in his pockets, he approached him slowly and with narrowed eyes. Sasuke tried to keep the rage and irritability to a minimum but it was still very hard for him. He still had an ego perhaps too big and little patience for anything. Kakashi didn't bother looking up from his book when Sasuke stopped.

"It's good to see you back." Kakashi said and Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't in the mood beat around the bush today…or any day, really.

"Do you need something?" He asked in his usual monotone voice. Kakashi shut his book and pocketed it.

"Just checking in." Kakashi said ignoring his attitude. It was something one got used to and he never took it personally. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not your student anymore. I can take care of myself." He said and began walking past him. Kakashi scratched the back of his head lazily before he took the few steps to catch up.

"Ah right… like I told Naruto and Sakura, we're comrades now." That never stopped either of them from still referring to him as 'Kakashi-sensei', but he didn't seem to mind. Sasuke would never admit that he was jealous of his former team mates. Somehow Sakura outranked him now and that bugged him. Even Naruto was moving forward with taking some sort of internship with Tsunade. And here Sasuke was still battling the consequences of his mistakes in the past. He ignored that fact.

"Make sure you stop by and see Tsunade-sama." Kakashi said after a few minutes of silence.

"She's had plenty of time to get her shit together. Hopefully she's got something worthwhile." Sasuke muttered as the Hokage building was getting closer. _If only he knew…_Kakashi followed him until they got to the stairs leading up to the entrance.

"Well, if you'd like to join us, we're having a training session tomorrow morning." Kakashi offered. Sasuke laughed as if it was a joke and he thought bitterly again about how behind he was from everyone else. Technically he was one of the strongest ninja in his class, but rank-wise he was still a Genin.

"Doesn't matter; I'm not a Konoha ninja anymore." Sasuke proceeded up the stone steps alone ending that conversation dead in its tracks. He thought about that fact over and over it again and it sort of made him depressed. Perhaps he needed a new hobby.

Sasuke walked the familiar hallways until he reached Tsunade's office. As usual, he didn't bother with waiting his turn; he simply knocked and barged in. To his surprise it was empty. Wondering if maybe he was too early, he crossed his arms. _Really…? _As if his mind was being read, Tsunade walked in through the open door with a few scrolls in her arms.

"Good morning, Uchiha." She muttered groggily and her head felt the consequences of the alcohol last night. He watched her set down the scrolls, plop in her chair, and exhale. Tsunade knew that taking on the job of the Hokage was literally giving one's life up. However it didn't keep her from ignoring the fact that it truly _sucked_. Sasuke could care less about the tired look on her face and instead he decided to poke at the temper of the Fifth Hokage.

"Well?" He demanded and she felt her hands tighten into fists. _It's too damn early for this, Uchiha… tread lightly._ Knowing exactly what he was there for, she opened one of the scrolls on the desk.

"I do have a solution for you… a temporary one, but it will work for now." She said sternly, her eyes rapidly going over the text below her. Sasuke shifted his weight, still occasionally feeling the stiffness in his leg from his previous injury. He didn't say anything. "Did you ever get taught how to repel the typical genjutsu?"

"That's your solution?" Sasuke asked with a hint of annoyance. _Everyone claims she's this all-knowing saint… _Tsunade rubbed her aching forehead simply too tired to care.

"Yes, Sasuke. It should help you wake yourself up and end the dream. Until I can find more information, I have to work with what's dealt—the same goes for you." She didn't even bother to look up at him. "Do you know it or not?"

"Yeah bu-"

"Good. Until we can get this figured out, I will keep you off the roster for upcoming missions. See Kakashi for any training purposes. You're dismissed." Tsunade said dryly making sure that the conversation was over. Sasuke's ears perked up; she was even considering re-instating him as a ninja. A normal person would smile, say thank you, and be on their merry way but, as Masaru came to the conclusion, Sasuke wasn't a normal person. He had an ego and reputation to carry and he would until the day he died. The only person who seemed to have a "get off free card" from that was Hinata. Sasuke secretly smiled to himself and turned to leave.

"Oh, and if you see Hinata today tell her I would like to speak with her." Tsunade added. He didn't respond and proceeded to leave. With a frown, Sasuke shut the door to her office behind him. It was none of his business, but he wondered why they needed to meet up… perhaps to discuss a mission? Sasuke didn't really care for that idea simply knowing that Hinata would be put in danger and be away from him for an extended amount of time. He put his hands in his pockets and started to walk down the hallway thinking to himself.

"Heeeeey, Sasuke!" That overly hyper voice that he (and the whole village) knew all too well echoed in the building. His eyes rolled and he didn't bother responding.

"Sasukeeeee." Feet were bounding up behind him and Sasuke stopped to look at Uzumaki Naruto. He hadn't seen him since the confrontation and that was fine with him. He knew that what Naruto did to him was an accident, but Sasuke still felt a grudge being held against him.

"What do you want?" He asked and Naruto slid to halt. He grinned and rubbed the back of his head. That blonde hair seemed more well-kept than usual and he thought perhaps it was Sakura's influence.

"Well, I was just finishing up some paperwork for the old lady and was gonna go get some ramen. Wanna go!?"

"No."

"Aww, come on. Why not!? You've been in Konoha for a week already and haven't said a word to me." Naruto's voice had that slight whine to it that always made Sasuke want to strangle someone. He figured that would never change. _How the hell did she admire him so much…?_ Maybe Sasuke was too hard on Naruto or everyone for that matter. He tried to control the anger that still burned deep inside his chest but it was harder than he thought.

"Yeah and I've been busy." Sasuke said as he began to walk forward again. That was halfway true… although he wasn't busy with anything real important, he did enjoy training much more than sitting at the ramen shop with the loud mouth.

"Come on. I'll treat. And that means a lot coming from me!" Naruto grinned as he kept in stride with Sasuke. He frowned in jealousy and thought about how Hinata would probably be blushing up a storm if it were her.

"Fine," He grumbled and immediately regretted it as Naruto 'yahoo'ed. And it was just like old times: Sasuke walking with crossed arms and Naruto blabbing the entire way through the streets of Konoha. The village was now fully built from last year's attack from Itachi. It looked the same, however, and it was starting to slowly feel more and more like home to him again. The children ran amongst their feet playing and people had stopped giving Sasuke looks of horror. His life was slowly starting to come together. The Uchiha pendant gleamed brightly in the mid-morning sun on his chest that he wore proudly, but he just couldn't shake that constant feeling of irritable-ness. Sasuke had dealt with it his whole life but now he really didn't have a reason for it.

"Oyyyyy!" Naruto was beginning to get excited as they sat down at the ramen stand. He rubbed his hands together and could barely contain himself. "Gimme the usual." He said and the old man and his daughter happily began the preparations.

"And for you, Sasuke?" The old man asked. He leaned on his elbows and closed his eyes.

"I'll just have some tea." Sasuke said. Naruto's eyes almost watered with happiness as a bowl of steamy noodles was put in front of him. He wasted no time with his chopsticks. Sasuke watched him out of the corner of his eye slightly disgusted at how Naruto never seemed to learn how to properly eat in public.

"So! How's the new place?" Naruto said after he swallowed a mouthful. Sasuke sipped on his tea quietly.

"It's good." Naruto finished up his bowl of ramen within minutes and he exhaled a sigh of satisfaction. Sasuke suddenly felt a pang of nostalgia as he sat with his former team mate. It recalled him back to their Team Seven days and even though he hated to admit it, it was a nice, refreshing feeling. Although it didn't keep Sasuke from being short with Naruto.

"Mmhmm. Sakura-chan says the memorial garden thing looks pretty cool, too." Naruto said as he set down his chop sticks. Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch out of irritation from hearing that Sakura had been to _his_ garden. But he dismissed it since he knew that Hinata and Sakura were friends. After a few failed attempts at casual conversation with the Uchiha, Naruto's eye fell to gaze upon the unused chopsticks. The tone of his voice also lowered to a more serious tone.

"Y'know, Sasuke, Hinata worked _really_ hard." Sasuke took the last drink of his tea and set the cup down. He didn't really care for personal conversations in public. In fact, he didn't care of personal conversations hardly ever. No one needed to know his business and he didn't need to know anyone else's business.

"Yeah, I know." He said, but really he didn't know the half of it. Naruto had been there during the training sessions and saw the amount of effort she put in. He had seen her collapse many times and endure several medical treatments to keep the chest injury from becoming worse. Naruto had never seen her work so hard for anything before, let alone one single person. It even reminded him of himself when he trained all those years with Jiraiya just to get to Sasuke's level. Naruto just couldn't sit back and watch Sasuke cast it all aside like it was nothing.

"Do you?" Naruto questioned him. Sasuke felt himself getting irritated again. He was ready to leave. "Not only did you almost kill her, but she almost got permanent damage to her Byakugan from trying to find you and-" Sasuke slammed his fists on the counter and stood up glaring at Naruto.

"Don't you fucking dare throw that in my face." He growled. Naruto had no idea the torment he put on himself for it. The amount of guilt was eating him inside. Naruto's eyes narrowed as Sasuke continued. "Like you have any room to say anything to me… you took Itachi from me."

"To save _you_." Naruto said quietly and that only fueled the anger in him again. Sasuke was letting it get to him. He couldn't keep it in anymore.

"I DIDN'T NEED SAVING!" Sasuke yelled and turned to walk away. He could feel the urge to rely on his Sharingan; it seemed to be a habit. The anger inside was bubbling; it was the same feeling of when his curse mark would begin to take over his body. Naruto got up to follow him. "Leave me alone. And this time actually fucking do it."

"What is your problem!?" Naruto couldn't wrap his head around why Sasuke was _so angry_. "You're alive; you have a brand new house, a memorial garden and a woman who almost died on more than one occasion for you! What exactly more will it take to make you happy?!"

Sasuke whipped around to come back with a response, but there was nothing he could say. Naruto would never understand—once you live 18 years being sad, alone and angry it's hard to wake up the next morning with flowers coming out of his ass. But Sasuke knew the main reason of his anger was because everything that Naruto said was right and he was wrong. _The time for revenge is gone; the time to be angry is gone._ Sasuke reached up to grasp the pendant in his hand. He squeezed it until he was afraid he might shatter it and then he looked over at Naruto.

"Just… please. Leave me alone." He muttered and turned to leave. Perhaps it was the dreams that still weighed heavily on his mind. Or maybe it was the lack of adventure in his life… Sasuke wasn't totally sure, but Naruto was right. His father was right. And he was wrong. Naruto frowned as he watched his best friend walk away. It was taking every fiber in his body not to run after him, but Naruto decided, for once, that it might be best to let Sasuke go.

* * *

The only thing that Sasuke wanted to do was see Hinata; not even a good training session could calm his nerves. Upon returning home that afternoon, the district was empty. Usually he would arrive home at this time to find Hinata keeping up with the garden just like she promised him so long ago, but it was strangely quiet. A frown settled on his lips as he stood alone in the garden. They shared many moments here that it almost seemed to be _their spot_ now. The cool wind blew back his hair and even though she wasn't with him, he could feel the peacefulness that the memorial brought him.

However there was just something that he couldn't shake. He thought about how all the anger and sadness seemed to dissolve when she was near him. Sasuke figured that he didn't even need to be touching her to feel more at ease. Hinata seemed to be the water to put out the fire that constantly churned in his chest. He decided that he would go find her as she was most likely at the Hyuuga district.

As Sasuke walked, his brain kept going back to the argument with Naruto. It was as if he couldn't help but explode and release the madness inside. Sasuke always used to blame others for getting in his way, thus creating the rage that fueled him throughout his life. Now that he had everything he could ever ask for, Sasuke wondered if there was still something left for him to do. Or maybe it was still something that Orochimaru left behind. Maybe he really wasn't gone.

The Hyuuga mansion was getting closer and he was anxious to see her. It was the first time he had actually gone _looking_ for her. In fact, it was the first time he had ever actually been in the yard of the mansion. Sasuke had, of course, walked her home many times and he never dreamed of actually entering. He was kind of curious to see the secrets they might have locked inside.

He approached the front door and knocked sheepishly. Sasuke frowned when Neji answered the door. Both of their eyes locked as if electricity was flying between the two. It had been quite some time since the two had seen each other and Sasuke remembered their last confrontation about Hinata. Back then he had denied anything going on between them, which was half way right. Neji's eyes narrowed.

"Uchiha," He said with that cool tone that he always had. Sasuke crossed his arms.

"Is she here?" Sasuke asked, not even bothering to act respectful. Neji was silent for a moment.

"Hinata-san is busy." He said finally and Sasuke raised his eyebrow. _Bullshit._

"Neji-niisan!" Sasuke heard her voice from within the house as she jogged to the door. Her small smile was already distinguishing the flame in his body as he nodded to her. "S-Sorry, Sasuke-kun, I got caught up in something…" Her voice was softer than usual and he figured it must be because Neji was there. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Just making sure everything was okay." Sasuke said finally and almost felt embarrassed saying it. Hinata felt her cheeks get warm and she squeezed by her cousin to leave the mansion.

"I-I'll be home soon." Hinata said with eyes lowered. Neji frowned and his own eyes seemed to stare daggers at the Uchiha. Sasuke could feel the anger bubbling again, but only because he noticed how reserved she became. He always had an idea that her father and cousin made her feel very insignificant but it never seemed to dampen her spirit until now.

Dark clouds had gathered in the sky much to Sasuke's dismay. Distant thunder rumbled, but no rain drops fell. They walked silently down the road that had always seemed to become _their road_ and Sasuke could tell there was something different about the quiet between them. Normally, Hinata would have bright eyes, observing their surroundings and she would even sometimes hum gently. On this particular day, her head was lowered and eyes seemed to be glued to the pavement. He suddenly _hated_ Neji. Before it was just simply arrogance but now it was almost personal and he felt like he had to do something.

"How can you stand to live with that guy?" Sasuke finally blurted out as they walked into the Uchiha district. Big rain drops were beginning to fall signaling a late fall thunderstorm. Hinata glanced up at him as they stopped walking.

"N-Neji-niisan?" She asked and when he didn't respond she forced a smile. "Oh. He doesn't really live with us. He is from the Branch house so h-he has his own home." Sasuke didn't know much about the Hyuuga clan but he did know a bit about the different houses. _Ch… then why does he walk around as if he owns the place? _Sasuke got closer to her, already smelling her vanilla perfume. Or perhaps it was her shampoo; Sasuke would never get why girls had so many different things that had fragrances. The rain was beginning to get heavy, so they took quick cover inside Sasuke's house.

"I don't like his attitude." Sasuke said as he shook raindrops from his hair. Hinata was running a hand through her damp hair as she stood in the main room. He was expecting a small chuckle or even a smile from her, but her face was emotionless just like his and he didn't like it. Something was wrong. He wondered if perhaps he said something to upset her but he realized he's said worse…and it never seemed to bother her. When Hinata refused to say anything, Sasuke frowned at her.

"What's wrong?" That phrase was another strange thing that he rarely ever said. Other phrases included 'you smell nice' and 'come sit with me'. Sasuke never cared before how anyone was feeling or what might be bothering them in their own lives. He always thought that if anyone had the right to feel sad, it was him, but now that he had someone else in his life it seemed to be changing his views. Hinata chewed on her lip before forcing yet another small smile.

"I'm fine, Sasuke-kun." Lie. Sasuke approached her and brushed a raindrop from her nose.

"You suck at lying." Sasuke said flatly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her cheeks flushed at the intimate touch. Usually she would smile brightly and take the opportunity to plant a kiss on his cheek. But instead she stood there limp in his arms.

"I…" She whispered. "I have a meeting with my father tomorrow about my 18th birthday." Sasuke's face remained expressionless.

"So?" He finally said. The frown remained on her pink lips and he thought about kissing it away.

"W-Well… I am the heir to the Hyuuga clan a-and… well on my 18th b-birthday…" Hinata had reverted back to the stuttering which she cursed in her head. Her eyes began to fill with tears and it was another thing she hated about herself. Hinata thought that she had gotten strong enough not to give in to her emotions. She was a ninja and ninja had to remain apathetic for many reasons. The lights inside flickered as the storm picked up, the wind howling outside. Sasuke ignored it as he felt his stomach flop.

"And?" Sasuke pressed on, but he already had a feeling he knew what the problem was. She became the head of the clan at her 18th birthday. Hinata took a deep breath and the tears seemed to disappear in her eyes.

"And… I won't be able to be a part of Team Kurenai a-anymore or be able to c-come and go as I please." His facial features didn't change, but inside his mind was turning circles. He wanted to be selfish and tell her not to do it. Sasuke wanted to get on his knees and beg her to refuse and to stay with him. But he wouldn't and he didn't. After a while of searching her face for something to say, he finally opened his mouth.

"Do you even want to do it?" His voice was unusually quiet and she could see the realization of the matter had sunken in to him. Hinata frowned and squirmed out of his arms. She turned around and stared down at her shaking hands. _Yes and no._ Hinata of course wanted to show everyone in her clan that she could do it. After an entire lifetime of constantly being ridiculed and told that she would never amount to anything, Hinata wanted to take the step forward. She wanted to make her father, and late mother, proud. But Hinata was also still young; she enjoyed being with her friends and even though she disliked training, it was an excuse to leave the Hyuuga district to see her team mates.

And the biggest factor was Uchiha Sasuke. Hinata could barely go fifteen minutes without him creeping into her mind. She enjoyed being around him and tending to the memorial garden. Hinata wanted to be near him at all times, but becoming the head of the clan meant that she would constantly be busy.

"I don't know…" She managed to say quietly. The lights suddenly went out and everything was dark inside the house. Normally, Sasuke would curse Masaru's handy work, but with the storm he probably wasn't the only one without power. They both seemed unfazed by the darkened room for a while just standing there. Sasuke sighed gently. He remembered seeing a few candles in a drawer in the bathroom, so he fumbled his way in. Upon returning with a light source now, he saw Hinata still in the same spot staring intently at her hands. He approached her while the little flame on the candle seemed to dance wildly.

"Come sit." Sasuke said gently, holding out his opened palm. Hinata frowned but she took his hand. He led them into his bedroom and Hinata could feel her face getting warm. She always felt so nervous and almost scared going into his bedroom because it was such an intimate place for her to be. He set the candle down on his dresser while the rain pelted the window. Sasuke turned with her hand still in his and he pulled her closer. Hinata felt safe in his grasp, but she didn't dare look in his eyes. She knew that he didn't want her to choose her clan over him. Sasuke put his finger under her chin to gently make her look up at him. After a few seconds of silence, he inhaled gently.

"Family is important. Do what you think is right." He said almost with a tone of defeat. It really wasn't Hinata wanted to hear and her eyes filled with tears again. He never gave her a definite answer. He never told her how he felt about things. He always refrained from actually helping her solve problems… perhaps an old habit he got from his father.

Sasuke leaned in to muffle a soft sob with a kiss. Hinata felt her body melt, as it usually did in Sasuke's embrace. Their kisses were usually gentle and soft, on the occasion they would get passionate. Hinata could feel Sasuke hold her tighter and their kiss was now filled with desire. She had to break it off as another tear slipped out. Sasuke wiped it away as a flash of lightning lit up the room. Hinata smiled a little.

"I just… want to be with you." She whimpered. Sasuke normally would have found it endearing and 'cute' but it only pained him. He let her go and went to sit on his bed. Sasuke didn't want her to choose him over something so important. He thought back to when he was still a child, always hearing his mother crying softly at night when his father would be away doing clan missions. Hinata sat on the bed next to him and ignored her heated face.

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said and he looked at her. Her face looked beautiful in the dim light of the candle. Her eyes seemed to sparkle and her lips were very enticing. She lifted her hand to graze his face with her fingers and he leaned into her touch. Hinata brought her lips to his and he held her close as things got more heated. Sasuke laid her down on the bed and he broke away to catch his breath. He stared down at her as he rested on the palm of his hands. Hinata could barely breathe yet alone say anything. Her face was flushed and her mind was running at top speeds.

"Hinata…" He whispered. "…can I see it?" His hand gently touched her chest right over her heart where his Chidori had hit her. She leaned up to rest on her elbows. Hinata wanted to say no, not because it would require her to unzip her jacket, but because she didn't want him to feel so responsible.

"Are you sure?" She said after a rumble of thunder shook the house. Sasuke could see the fear in her eyes, even in the dimly lit room. He nodded as he rolled over to her side. She hesitated before grasping the zipper of her jacket and pulling it down not just halfway, but all the way. If Sasuke ever wanted to know what Hinata was hiding underneath the jacket, well now he knew in a very intimate moment with the Hyuuga heir. She simply wore a black tank top and of course her forehead protector was around her neck. Sasuke didn't even bother to observe her curvy body on display; his eyes went directly to the raw skin on her chest. It was almost healed, but the scabs were forming a nasty scar that would always be there to remind her. Sasuke felt like crying right then and there but he didn't. He also felt like gathering her up in his arms and apologizing until he could no longer speak.

His fingers hovered over her hot skin on her chest and he looked at her for approval. Hinata gave him a small smile and he very lightly traced it with his fingertips. She didn't wince, shudder, or tell him to stop; she just watched the features on his face. Hinata had never seen him look so sad before, probably because he always looked so emotionless. She could see his eyes narrowed, eyebrows furrowed almost as if he was holding back even more emotion. After a few seconds, Sasuke withdrew his hands laid back. He reached up to grab her frail body and he held her close with her back to his chest. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as the scent of her hair hit his nose.

Sasuke could feel her short breaths against him and he didn't say anything to her. Hinata didn't say anything to him either. They just laid together, listening to the rain outside and the occasional rumble of thunder. The candle danced brightly in his room and he never felt more complete than in that moment. There was no anger or rage. He didn't feel like he had to keep his ego in check with her. Knowing that this might all disappear with her 18th birthday made him just hold onto her tighter.


	16. Chapter 16

Ermagerrrrd. Is it bad that I'm already starting to get ideas for another SasuHina fic? o_o I need to FOCUS...finish this one first and then take over with my terrible writing :o Oh enjoy Chapter 16 3

* * *

The air was sweet as he opened his eyes to see a patchy orange sky above. Sasuke found himself atop a grassy hill, underneath an oak tree. He stretched a bit and sat up. The breeze was warm and he leaned back on the palm of his hands, enjoying the view. The sun was setting behind the hills in the distance and everything was very peaceful.

"Sasuke," A womanly voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked over to see his mother standing next to him as he sat. Her smile was gentle; her eyes were calm. She sat down next to him gently and rested her hands in her lap. Sasuke leaned forward and looked over at her.

"Mother…" He watched her hair flow in the breeze and Sasuke felt at ease. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the moment. He thought about how Hinata mentioned seeing his mother in her dreams and wondered if that was a coincidence.

"I've missed you." Sasuke mumbled as if embarrassed. His mother turned her head to look at him.

"But you're doing so well." She said gently. "You've grown up to be such an incredible young man."

"I'm only doing well because of Hinata." He said with a disappointed tone. Sasuke picked at a blade of grass at his side and his mother's smile slowly disappeared.

"Yes, but you allowed her to help. And if I remember correctly, you were never quick to ask for assistance." Sasuke didn't say anything and he looked glumly at the ground as if he had reverted back to his youth in pouting. He didn't stay in a sad state for long—it was hard to with so much peacefulness around them. Everywhere Sasuke looked there was nothing but grass for miles. The only tree in the area was the one that they sat underneath.

"How come I only ever see you here?" He was curious. Sasuke had only seen his father in one place as well.

"This is the place I chose. It's where I'm happiest the most." His mother said and he looked confused. "It's where your father asked me to marry him." Sasuke felt his lips turn into a smile. His father wasn't a very touchy feely kind of guy. He showed his love in different ways so to hear of him being affectionate made him want to chuckle.

"Actually, it's not too far from the Uchiha District. It's in a secret area just a few miles out of the village." Sasuke thought for a moment before nodding. Then the dock by the water must be where his father was the happiest. He felt the breeze blow back his hair and he thought briefly about where Itachi might have chosen. His mother watched her son and noticed the pendant around his neck. "Your father would be so happy to see you wearing that." Sasuke's gaze turned to the pendant and he thought back to the dream he had with his father. He knew about his time with Orochimaru.

"Have you guys been watching me all along?" He asked. In fact, there were many questions he had for his parents. His mother heaved a gentle sigh, staring down at her hands. There wasn't much that she could keep from him any longer.

"Yes." Sasuke frowned and almost felt violated. They were watching him attack friends, kill innocent people, and worst of all…they were watching him plot against his own brother. He felt ashamed as his eyes squeezed shut. Sasuke felt her hand touch his shoulder and he didn't want to look at her. How could they love him or even accept that he was their son? Sasuke had done so many things wrong.

"Sasuke… we knew. We understood." His mother whispered. "We could never say anything because of the scrolls being hidden away, but now we can visit each other whenever we'd like." Sasuke opened his eyes and he was silent. If Hinata had never found the box… he would never have gotten to talk to his family again. She had done so much for him and he had done nothing in return. Had it of been one year ago, Sasuke wouldn't have thought twice about it but he really had changed.

"Mother, I'm sorry." Sasuke had noticed that saying sorry was a lot easier than before because he said it many times to Hinata already. He had never come to the realization of his mistakes until now. Sasuke knew that his family could have been ashamed about his decisions in life. They could have chosen not to approach him in his dreams, but they did. His mother squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Your father would have done the same. I would have done the same. We never once thought ill of you…however." Her voice trailed off and her hand returned to her side. Sasuke didn't want to hear the 'however' part. "Orochimaru was a terrible man."

"I knew what I was doing." He tried to defend his actions, but they both knew that she was right. Even though Sasuke was a great and incredible ninja, and that he put on a very good front, Orochimaru could have easier taken him out especially the first year or so. But he didn't for his own reasons of acquiring his body. That never worked out.

"I'm just glad it's all over with. I'm glad you're safe and happy." His mother said with a smile. Sasuke returned her smile and nodded. Sasuke was happy and he gave much of the credit to Hyuuga Hinata. It's not that he relied on her for his happiness, but she physically put him at ease. Sasuke never felt angry or annoyed around her.

"Glad to know that I'm still being talked about…" That menacing and slippery voice echoed around them. The sky began to darken and the tree behind him seemingly died right before his eyes. Sasuke growled and stood up. _God Damnit…! _

"Orochimaru!" He screamed as he tried to form the Chidori in his hand. Nothing was working, however, and he glanced over at his mother. She had her head lowered so he couldn't see her eyes.

"Mother…" Sasuke walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and she had wild eyes. Her sweet smile had turned into something that made his insides crawl as he backed away. The anger was coming back in quick bursts inside of his body. _How fucking dare he use the people I care about…_ He recalled when Orochimaru would taunt him with Hinata and it made his blood boil. His mother cackled as she approached her son and she leaned up against his chest.

"Sasuke… why are you so scared? I'm your mother!" Sasuke wanted to push her away, but he didn't get a chance to. Her entire body turned into slithering snakes that crawled up onto him. He struggled, trying to throw them off but their grips on his arms and neck were getting tighter. Sasuke blinked and Orochimaru was inches away from his face. He fell back out of surprise and the snakes only got tighter. Orochimaru crossed his arms watching his former 'student' struggle.

"Sasuke-kun… You are not allowed to have a happy ending." His words caused a shudder to travel up Sasuke's spine and Orochimaru reached down to pick him up by the neck. Holding him up in the air, Orochimaru laughed. Sasuke could feel his airways being cut off as he tightened his grip on his throat. The nightmares never got this far… they never got this violent. Sasuke began to panic as his arms were being held back by snakes and he was unable to form chakra correctly. _How am I supposed to repel it if I can't use my chakra!? _Orochimaru's grin was the last thing he saw when he was suddenly thrown from the dream.

As if he had been underwater, Sasuke sat up with a start gasping for air. His Sharingan was spinning in his eyes as usual from these dreams and he was drenched in sweat. He didn't realize that he was face to face with Hinata as she had been leaning over his body.

"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata almost sobbed his name as she sat on her knees next to him. He rubbed his eyes and his Sharingan disappeared.

"Hinata…!" Sasuke was still trying to catch his breath as he stared at her with such confusion. "Where are we?!" Hinata frowned, a look of fear in her eyes.

"Um… we're in your bed room." She said with a hint of embarrassment. Sasuke felt his muscles relax and he looked around. They must have fallen asleep because the sun was shining into his window. He let his body go limp and he fell back onto his pillow. His hand rose up to rub his forehead as if it would help his stress. These dreams were getting to too realistic and he wondered if maybe he should go see Tsunade again. Hinata remained sitting where she was.

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said softly. "Um… you were stuck in the genjutsu. I had to apply chakra to your body to wake you up." He looked up at her for a moment and was silent. Hinata had saved his life, basically. Who knows what could have happened if the dream had continued further. He could feel his heart returning to a normal rate and everything was calm now.

"What happened?" She asked gently.

"Another dream…" He mumbled. "Tsunade gave me some bullshit advice to help me with them… didn't work." Hinata leaned forward a little bit and her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She appeared to be in thought.

"There should be someone w-with you just to make sure that… nothing bad happens." Sasuke heaved a sigh and took her words into account. Maybe he would ask the Fifth Hokage about it. When he didn't say anything, Hinata crawled out of the bed. Sasuke watched her with half lidded eyes. Her jacket was still unzipped and he could see that the tank top she wore had scrunched up a little bit exposing her stomach. Hinata wasn't a skinny girl like Ino or Sakura, but she wasn't fat either. She was what a normal woman was supposed to look like and he enjoyed it. Sasuke always heard Sakura mention her diets around him as if it was supposed to magically make him fall in love with her. Truth be told, Sakura was too skinny. Hinata was just…perfect.

"You slept overnight at my house." Sasuke said with a slightly amused tone. His smirk was hard to hide and she ran her fingers through her hair. She was awfully calm for having slept in the same bed with him through the night. Hinata pulled her tank top down much to his disappointment and she zipped up her jacket.

"Um, Sasuke-kun, it's late evening time." She said with a small laugh. Sasuke chuckled inwardly and he got up. He approached her and was glad to see her back to her usual self.

"Either way, you slept with me." He teased which brought a heavy blush to her cheeks at the way he worded it. She brought her hands to her cheeks and tried to hide her embarrassment.

"N-No, we just f-fell asleep! It was an accident!" Hinata squeaked. Sasuke felt a laugh come from his lips as he pulled her into his arms. It was a nice new thing… having someone to care about. Sasuke never thought it was possible to love someone because he never really thought about it much at all until he met her. He looked down at her face and her smile slowly faded. She avoided his gaze again remembering her predicament again. Hinata had to meet with her father in the morning to discuss what would happen with her up and coming birthday.

"I should go, Sasuke-kun." Hinata said gently and she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. Sasuke closed an eye when she did and watched her walk out of the bed room. He frowned and crossed his arms before following her out.

"You know, you were right." Sasuke said casually. Hinata brushed off her jacket and she turned to look at him curiously.

"Oh?" He nodded.

"I need someone around to make sure I wake up." Sasuke said, watching her reaction. Even though he was a jerk to everyone else, he got a kick out of making her fret over silly things. Hinata raised her eyebrows to this.

"Yes? W-Would you like me to ask Naruto-kun for you?" She asked innocently. Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and shook his head almost in disgust.

"What? No, no." Hinata frowned unsure what he was trying to get at. Suddenly her cheeks grew pink and she looked away. Sasuke smirked and nodded to the door so he could walk her home.

* * *

Hinata didn't sleep well that night for a few different reasons. The first and most obvious reason was the nerves of meeting with her father the next day. The second was feeling the void of having Sasuke next to her. She never thought that she would enjoy falling asleep next to someone. Hinata was a girl who liked her space and often times would toss and turn in her sleep. When she fell asleep with Sasuke that day, she woke up feeling refreshed and rested (of course until Sasuke almost pushed her off due to his nightmare).

She got up a little earlier than usual and figured some good meditation in the training grounds of the mansion would help calm her nerves. In fact, meditation was almost mandatory for her now, on account of the forbidden jutsu she used in order to find Sasuke. She would never tell him how the jutsu affected her day to day life now because she already knew how awful he felt. Hinata could only do what she could to make him feel less guilt.

Hinata put on her usual outfit and before she zipped up her jacket, she stopped. In the mirror, her fingertips lightly moved across the large scabbing wound on her chest. Even though her father had allowed her to learn such a risky jutsu and go in search of the Uchiha, it didn't mean that he approved. Hinata often wondered if the only reason he helped her with her training was to see how strong she really was. She frowned before zipping up her jacket and tying her forehead protector around her neck.

The Hyuuga mansion was quiet as she walked to the middle square outside. The sun was just starting to shine on Konoha and the dew on the grass was sparkling as Hinata found a spot to sit on the wooden walkway. It wasn't uncommon for her to come out here to get away, but it was rare to find it empty so Hinata took full advantage of the peace and quiet. Closing her eyes, Hinata tried to focus on her heart beat while taking steady breaths. But the pit of her stomach wouldn't relax and she heaved a heavy sigh.

"Your shoulders are too tense." Neji's voice about made her jump out of her skin and she turned around to see him approaching behind her. Hinata should have heard him coming, but she had been so distracted that her ninja senses failed her.

"Oh…Neji-niisan." She breathed and he stood behind her with his Byakugan activated. Neji knelt down behind her and began to work a knuckle into her shoulder blade where a chakra point was knotted.

"What has you so stressed, Hinata-san?" He asked dryly as she winced at the sharp pain. This kind of thing wasn't so strange to the Hyuuga's. Since the Byakugan could see one's chakra flow, it wasn't a big deal to work out knots amongst the clan. Hinata remembered crawling on her father's back as a young girl trying to test out her own Byakugan to see where the knot was.

"N-Nothing." Hinata made sure to add in her stutter so he wouldn't accuse her of lying. Neji worked his way to another knot up along the base of her neck. He moved her long hair to get better access and she felt a shiver travel down her spine.

"Your birthday is coming up." Neji mentioned after a bit of time and silence had passed between them. Hinata nodded and she could tell he was trying to pry the information out of her. Neji wasn't nosy like Ino was. He was more or less curious about how things would end up for him once Hiashi handed the reins over to his daughter. Once he was satisfied with releasing the tense chakra points in her back, he stood up and turned to leave. Hinata glanced over at him from behind her shoulder.

"Um… Neji-niisan?" He stopped and looked back at her. Hinata opened her mouth to speak but the words couldn't form. She wasn't really sure what sort of advice she wanted and she didn't feel like going over it with her cousin (who at one point wouldn't have hesitated to kill her). Neji's emotionless face waited for her response, but he watched her lower her head in defeat. He felt the sympathy growing and so he sat down next to her.

They sat in silence simply meditating together. Hinata always enjoyed the company and even though the two were never close, she felt herself growing more attached to her cousin. He was the older brother she never had and to Neji, she was worth protecting not just because she was from the Main House. After a while, the sun was finally up and Hiashi had come looking for his oldest daughter.

"Hinata," His voice was never soft or quiet like hers. It was always full of a mixture of confidence and arrogance. Neji looked over at her with a hint of support and she nodded. Hinata got to her feet and looked to her father.

"Y-Yes, father." She followed him back inside and they walked down the hallways silently. Her stomach wasn't settling well and her palms were sweaty. She knew what they would discuss, but she was still completely unsure of what to do. Hiashi slid open the door to a meeting room and Hinata took a deep breath before she entered.

"As you know, your 18th birthday is approaching in two weeks." Hiashi said as he sat down at the table. She sat down across from him and noticed there was tea waiting for them. Hinata tried to sit up straighter in hopes that it would help boost her confidence.

"Hai." Hinata replied, letting her hands rest in her lap. She could feel her heart beating fast in her chest as her nerves began to take over. Hiashi calmly took a sip of his tea and then crossed his arms.

"And because you are my eldest daughter, you are the heir to the Hyuuga Clan." He said his voice completely different from the time she was in the hospital. It was back to the stiff and uncomfortable cloud between them. Hiashi continued.

"Will you be ready?" He asked suddenly. It caught Hinata off guard and she nodded quickly even though she was unsure.

"H-Hai!" So did this mean that she truly was going to take over? Hiashi stared at her with those eyes. They looked like hers of course but the emotion within them was completely different. He frowned as he seemed to study her under a microscope.

"I don't feel as if you are." He said finally. Hinata thought back to when Neji seemed to read her mind at the Chuunin Exams. Everything he said about her was true—her lack of confidence and naivety was picked up as if he was searching for red flags. Her cheeks felt hot in embarrassment that her father still had yet to fully believe in her. She fought the muscles behind her eyes to not form tears as she looked down at her fingers in her lap.

Everyone always looked down at her. Even through the years of improvement and hard work, she was always failing to meet the expectations of not just her family but of her friends as well. She thought that if she became a Chuunin that it would be of some importance, but it was never enough. Even though Hinata lacked the self-confidence one needed in the Hyuuga clan, she knew that she was something worthwhile. She knew that she had to make her father proud. She had to make herself proud. Her hands formed angry little fists as she looked back up to her father.

"I have gotten stronger! I became a Chuunin and even learned a forbidden jutsu to help find Sasuke-kun!" She said almost as if she was in a fight with her own mind. Hiashi frowned upon hearing the Uchiha's name. Her eyes had more strength as usual, but his gaze seemed to over power hers.

"Hinata, as the leader of the Hyuuga clan, you won't be able to continue being seen with him." Hiashi said without showing a sign of empathy for her. She felt something shatter in her heart as she simply stared at her father. She shouldn't have been too surprised as the thoughts had crossed her mind, but hearing it in her father's voice and words seemed to make it sink in further. Hinata opened her mouth finally.

"Then why did you help me find him?" Her voice was quiet just like a mouse, but she did always wonder why her father was so willing to train her. Hiashi kept his gaze firmly on her.

"To see how well you could learn a forbidden jutsu." He said simply. "It's important for the leader to be strong and able to master powerful jutsus." Hiashi had challenged her new found confidence and then beaten it to the ground. Hinata wanted to say many things to her father, but the courage was gone. Instead, she nodded as her surroundings got blurry with tears. Hinata made sure to look down at the ground so he couldn't see.

"However," Hiashi said taking a sip of his tea. "If you feel you are unable to reach the expectations of a leader then perhaps Hanabi would be a better candidate." Her eyes got wide a bit as she looked up suddenly at that statement. A small tear escaped and she stood up.

"N-No! I…." Hinata was torn. She knew deep down that her little sister would make a much better leader than her. She also knew deep down inside that Sasuke needed her… Hinata had made a promise to his mother. But she wanted to prove to her clan—and to her father—that she could be something. She could be important and worthwhile. Hiashi watched her battle mentally in her mind.

"I'll do it." She whispered before she could stop herself and her father stood up.

"There is a lot for you to do before the ceremony in two weeks. There is a lot for you to study up on and learn. Expect to meet me here every afternoon. Be prepared." Hiashi said and left her standing there. She sunk to her knees and laid her head on the table. _What am I doing?_ Hinata thought about all of her friends and especially about Sasuke. Her face scrunched up as she sobbed gently to herself. Hinata suddenly felt selfish; she worked so hard to help Sasuke rebuild his life and now she was almost abandoning him. But she was the heir from the moment she was born and it almost seemed unavoidable. Had she of passed it on to her sister, Hinata would have lost what respect the clan had for her. She would have been known as a failure her entire life.

Hinata watched as a pool of tears formed on the table underneath her cheek. She recalled a moment when her mother was still alive. Hinata was sitting on her mother's lap holding Hanabi as a baby. _Protect your sister, Hinata. As the heir, you must be a strong and courageous leader._ As if everything inside was breaking down, she squeezed her eyes shut. For anyone else, moving up in their clan would be a great feeling, but she never felt so scared of the unknown.

* * *

The wind was cold against her face as she walked slowly through the village. Hinata had been neglecting the memorial garden at the Uchiha District lately, and it was the perfect way to get her mind off of the morning's events. It was late afternoon and the sun was disappearing behind a few lone clouds in the sky. For the first time in a long time, Hinata just wanted to be on a mission. It was the best way to distract her from the problems in her life. She missed being around Kiba and Shino…and even her favorite pup Akamaru.

Her eyes began to fill with hot tears again as she realized she would see them even less than she already did now. Hinata felt as if she didn't have a choice. She always thought as a child that by her 18th birthday, she would be so much stronger and confident. Hinata still felt weak and she wondered if that feeling would ever go away.

Just before she was getting on the outskirts of the village, a large shadow loomed in front of her. She glanced up from the road and saw Masaru. His bald head gleamed and his smile made her forget all of the problems in her life as she smiled at him.

"Masaru-san!" She exclaimed and he put a big heavy arm around her small shoulders.

"Good to see ya, Hinata." He said and spit to the side.

"Oh, where is Taro?" She asked, glancing around to see the bounding little boy she learned to love so much. Masaru laughed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Took the kiddo home. He's still tryin' to convince his mama to let him attend the academy here soon." Masaru said. "Hey, how about I treat you to something sweet?" Normally Hinata would politely decline, but the relief of getting her mind on something more stable and familiar was welcoming. They went to a street vendor who was offering different assortments of candies and chocolates, and Hinata followed the old man to a bench to the side of the street.

"I do miss Taro… a lot." Hinata said as she sat down next to Masaru. She plopped a chocolate in her mouth and smiled. Masaru laughed and his belly jiggled along with him.

"He's a little shit, that's for sure." He said. "He asks about you and the damn Uchiha kid all the time. Speaking of…how is he doin?" Hinata frowned and looked down at the clear plastic bag of candies in her lap.

"Sasuke-kun is good…" She said. Masaru raised his eyebrow noticing her spirit dwindling.

"What the hell did he do to you? I'll kick his ass." Hinata felt her cheeks go red as she shook her head.

"N-Nothing! He hasn't done anything. He's been…wonderful." She said looking over at him. Masaru found that last line amusing and thought she was kidding.

"Well, then that's good I guess." Masaru said and yawned. "Oh, I heard through the grape vine you've got a birthday comin' up." Hinata frowned again, looking away.

"H-Hai. In two weeks." She said quietly. Masaru knew that Hinata was the heir to the clan and he knew exactly about what would happen on her birthday. He patted her on the shoulder and grinned.

"Aw come on. The only birthday you shouldn't look forward to is your 50th." He joked and she smiled politely.

"I am excited, I suppose."

"And you should be. Now is your time to shine, Hinata. Time to show everyone how kick ass you are!" Hinata had to laugh.

"Yes, I just won't be able to do a lot of the things I like to do anymore. I'll have to ask Taro to take over the garden for me. He did so well while I was in the hospital." She said sadly. Masaru frowned and crossed his big arms on his chest. He was silent for a while.

"And how is the Uchiha taking this?" Masaru asked as gently as he could. His voice was naturally loud and boisterous so it definitely took her by surprise. Their relationship wasn't really a secret, but they didn't flaunt it either.

"Um… well he didn't really say much when I asked." Hinata said watching a pile of leaves blowing past them. "B-But I could tell he didn't want me to." Her bangs fluttered in the wind. Masaru leaned forward on his knees and he observed her.

"Of course not. But if he really loves ya, then he will understand." Hinata felt her cheeks get rosy at the word 'love'. They never said it to each other because perhaps it was too soon. Or maybe it was because they were both kind of scared of the word.

"I want to be there for him… but I'm the heir. I feel awful." She said feeling tears returning back to her eyes. Masaru heaved a sigh.

"There is a way to do both, Hinata. Balance in life is vital because if you don't, you'll go bat shit crazy. Do what you need to do even if you have to bend the rules a bit." Masaru said. Hinata sat and thought for a while. _Bend the rules… _She smiled a little and nodded.

"Y-You're right." She said and popped another chocolate in her mouth. Masaru smiled to himself and leaned back. _Ahh, young love._ After a few more minutes of casual conversation, Hinata thanked the old man and she said her good-byes. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

Sasuke felt the cool breeze and it knocked him out of his meditation. He sat in front of the memorial stone in the garden as the setting sun in the distance seemed to be bidding him farewell for the day. He frowned and closed his eyes again. Sasuke thought about when he went to see the Fifth Hokage that day and she seemed to be more worried about the dream he had than he was.

"Hmm. Well, then that isn't going to work." She had said as she gazed out her window. Sasuke had nodded.

"Had Hinata not been there…er.." His voice trailed off as he brought the Hyuuga heir into the story. Their personal life really wasn't anyone's business. "Well, either way, something needs to be done." Tsunade snorted as she turned around.

"It's not a bad idea, honestly." She remarked as she sat back down in her chair. Sasuke put his hands in pockets when she referred to having someone there to make sure he didn't _die_ in his sleep. But Tsunade had no new information. She had even asked Kurenai, the master of genjutsu, but came up short with little answers.

Sasuke opened his eyes and fixated his gaze on the memorial stone in front of him. He had thought about just not sleeping but every time he tried to stay awake, his body would long for sleep. Sasuke could deal with the nightmares but he couldn't with his life on the line. Sasuke wondered if maybe it was all in his head. Maybe Orochimaru really wasn't trying to reach him and he was just going insane. He dismissed that thought since Tsunade apparently didn't think he was crazy. Sasuke stood up and looked behind his shoulder to see Hinata walking towards him with the watering can. Just like a child seeing his crush, his stomach got butterflies and he smirked to himself.

"G-Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun." She said quietly and stopped in front of him. He nodded his greeting to her and watched her start to water the delicate flowers of the garden. Sasuke noticed that she was unusually quiet, though to anyone else, they wouldn't have noticed.

"So…?" He said impatiently. Sasuke wanted to know how the meeting with her father went. Hinata chewed on her lip as she kept her back to him. The water droplets gleamed in the sun and she sort of wished life was just as simple as watering the flowers. She wanted to say something but she felt more comfortable being silent. Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms; a sign of irritation.

"Hyuuga. I'm talking to you." He said and she tensed up hearing that. Hinata finally turned around and set down the watering can. She hoped that Masaru was right. Taking a deep breath, she approached him.

"I um… well." She mumbled and Sasuke stared at her without emotion. Hinata avoided his gaze. "I… I will take my father's place." Hinata was barely audible, but Sasuke knew what she had said. She braced herself for a cold stare or perhaps an argument to begin.

The news to Sasuke wasn't surprising. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but his days of being a selfish child were gone. As much as he had thought that perhaps maybe she would change her mind, she didn't. For some reason he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her or hold it against her. After all, Hinata had sacrificed a lot for him and he understood that. In fact, had the shoes been on the other foot, he would have done the same thing. Sasuke no longer had a clan to gain momentum with, but Hyuuga Hinata did. He felt he had no right to forbid for it. He had learned a lot in life and made a lot of mistakes. Sasuke didn't want to be the reason for Hinata to be sad again; he had done it too many times before. Perhaps it was the guilt or perhaps it was something more.

"Good. Maybe you can tell those older Hyuugas to take the sticks out of their asses." Sasuke said with a smirk. Hinata stared at him unsure how to take that statement. When she didn't smile or laugh, he pulled her abruptly into a hug. He let his chin rest on the stop of her head.

"I know you will do great." He tried to say it without sounding disappointing. Hinata felt a huge relief wash over her and she hugged him back.

"Um… I also want to help with your dreams." She said and he pulled her away. His face remained emotionless but she saw the confusion in his eyes. "I-I want to be there for you if you need to wake up…" Sasuke saw her cheeks were flushed and she _couldn't_ have been talking about staying with him overnights.

"Your father would never allow that." He said and frowned. Hinata shook her head.

"N-No, but… he doesn't have to know." She said. Sasuke almost laughed thinking she was joking, but her face was serious. _Who is this and what have you done with Hyuuga Hinata?_ This couldn't be the same girl who would always turn away in complete embarrassment when Sasuke got a little _too_ excited or who blushed furiously when he'd take off his shirt during training sessions.

"Um…" Sasuke wasn't sure what to say. Hinata smiled.

"Only if it's okay… I don't want to i-intrude." She said. Sasuke felt himself smiling too and normally he would stop himself to return the usual thin line on his lips. But he couldn't help it… he was too happy to care.


	17. Chapter 17

Late late update... yawn. Only a few more chapters

* * *

Hinata lay on her side with her head resting on her arm. Her half-lidded eyes watched Sasuke's chest go up and down as he slept. Ever since she agreed to keep an eye on him during the night time, Hinata felt a sense of worth as if she was his silent protector. She thought back to her days with Team Eight and how her fellow team mates would always save her from danger. Naruto had also put his life on the line for her a few times, but she rarely had an opportunity to really prove herself. It all cycled back to how weak she was and Hinata was really starting to doubt becoming the leader for the Hyuuga clan.

She didn't get much sleep, but not because she was on constant alert for Sasuke's nightmares. Her mind just wouldn't rest. Even though her body protested and her eyes threatened to close, her mind would refuse. If anything, she got a few hours here and there. It had been a few days since her meeting with her father and there was a lot weighing on her mind. Not even the comfort of Sasuke's embrace could cure the anxiety flowing through her body.

Hinata slipped a lock of midnight blue hair behind her ears and then her hands went to form the correct seals for the Byakugan. Every hour she would check his chakra flow to make sure he was doing okay and in a peaceful sleep. However without fail, the nightmares would begin every night. Whether it was just minutes after he had fallen asleep or several hours later, his eyebrows would furrow and sweat would roll down his forehead. His chakra would start to move faster in his body as he tried to fight off Orochimaru in the depths of his own sub conscious. When it got too much, he would toss and turn violently. That was when Hinata had to apply her own chakra to his body to release him from the genjutsu.

This particular night was more violent than usual. When Hinata helped wake him from the battle in his dreams, Sasuke sat up and instantly grabbed his arm.

"Agh…. Fuck!" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth. Hinata crawled over to him and she noticed blood trickling down from his sleeve. If she was tired before, now she was awake as her adrenaline was going.

"S-Sasuke-kun…! You're bleeding." She breathed. Sasuke pulled his hand back and saw his palm filled with blood. He curled his fingers into a fist out of anger and he pushed off the sheets off his bed. Once his feet hit the cold floor, he got up to go to the bathroom. Hinata frowned as she remained on the bed. It was still dark outside, and the clock read 3:30am which meant she still had another hour or so before she'd have to head back to the Hyuuga District.

Sasuke took his shirt off and drops of blood dripped onto the sink. He ran a wash cloth under the cold water and then dabbed at the wound. _Ch… there's gotta be a better solution to this. _He heard the soft pads of Hinata's feet as she entered the bathroom.

"Let me h-help…" Hinata said quietly. Sasuke tried to silently refuse it, but he soon found himself sitting on the toilet seat while she knelt down to begin applying a special ointment. Neither spoke, but Hinata understood. She couldn't imagine… each nightmare was getting worse and now he was coming back with _physical injuries_. Wrapping gauze around his arm, Hinata tied it to make sure it fit snug but not too tight.

"I'm so sorry." She seemed to squeak. Sasuke looked down at her and he could see a difference in her spirit. There were bags forming under those eyes he loved so much and her smiles were now few and far between.

"For what?" He mumbled irritably. Sasuke wasn't angry or annoyed with her. He hated seeing his problems affect her. Sasuke should be strong enough not to have to rely on having her there to keep him alive, but he didn't trust anyone else as much as her. Hinata stood up and her long hair slipped past her shoulders.

"You just… You shouldn't have to go through this." Sasuke watched her bring curled fingers up to her lips, clearly a habit. He frowned. While still sitting down, he pulled her close to him with her stomach resting on his cheek.

"I shouldn't have gotten you involved." Sasuke said quietly. He felt her hands run through his hair and it caused him to shiver. Even though she was just wearing a regular t-shirt and pajama pants, he still thought she was beautiful. Desire was being stirred up in his body as he moved his head to plant small kisses on her stomach.

"There isn't anything that Tsunade-sama can do?" Hinata said, clearly ignoring his hormones.

"Not yet." Sasuke said in between kisses. She looked down at him with a small smile on her lips. Hinata was aware of Sasuke's yearns to take their relationship to the next level. She, too, had thought about it, but the timing just wasn't right. She was still modest and somehow he understood that. Sasuke never made her feel uncomfortable. Hinata pulled back from him and took his hand. Her hands were so much smaller and softer than his, which were rough with callouses. Sasuke followed her back to the bedroom and watched her crawl up into bed.

"I have to leave soon." She said sleepily as she pulled the blankets up and over her. Sasuke crossed his arms with a small smirk. Hinata had kept watch on him all night, so he figured he would let her sleep a little. He got into bed next to her and she cuddled up next to him, her head lying on his bare chest. Sasuke had a loose arm around her shoulders and he listened to her small breaths as she drifted off into a much deserved sleep.

* * *

The sounds of metal upon metal echoed in the training area in Konoha. Sasuke was moving quickly with his sword bringing it down upon Naruto's kunai. Of course training with those particular two wasn't silent. Taunts and harmless insults were thrown at each other as they tried to overpower one another. Kakashi stood under a tree watching from a distance. Sasuke had finally agreed to come to team training, even though he really wasn't apart of Team Kakashi. He remembered approaching his sensei later that morning and beating around the bush about training. Kakashi knew that Sasuke wasn't one to ask for help. Pride was a big deal to him as usual.

"Kakashi-sensei?" His thoughts were interrupted by Sakura, who had looked up from her medical book as she sat up against the trunk of the tree. Sai looked up from his scrolls with a paint brush in hand, also curious. Kakashi's eye was glued to his book and he didn't bother looking away for the young woman.

"Hmmm?" He turned a page with his thumb. Sakura's gaze went to the two boys ahead, dueling for bragging rights. It was warming her heart to see both of her team mates back together as if they had gone back in time. Her green eyes continued to watch Sasuke's lean body effortlessly flow with his movements. He always caught her eye even though Naruto was now the center of her affections. Uchiha Sasuke would have a special place in her heart.

"Is Sasuke-kun allowed to go on missions now?" She finally mumbled, breaking her gaze to look down at her book.

"Not yet." Kakashi lowered his book and he, too, watched the Uchiha. Even with the curse mark seemingly gone, Sasuke was still just as incredible. Kakashi noted that he made little to no mistakes in his stances and he had gotten better about his chakra control, as well. Even though it was the wrong choice, Orochimaru seemed to be the perfect ninja to help Sasuke evolve his true powers.

"Damnit… no fair!" Naruto cried as he jumped back from Sasuke's sword that had knocked the kunai from Naruto's hand. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Within seconds, the infamous shadow clones appeared surrounding them and Sasuke glanced around unfazed. A Naruto clone popped up next to Sakura, who in turn screeched out of surprise.

"Ahhh, Sakura-chan! How about a kiss for good luck?"

"GAH! Damnit, you scared me!" Enraged, she made a fist and punched the clone in the face, which turned into a puff of smoke.

"The clones, huh? I figured you learned something better over the years." Sasuke growled, throwing his hands together to form seals. With Uchiha pride overflowing in him, he released the giant fire ball jutsu and the sounds of clones disappearing rang through the training ground. Sakura, Kakashi and Sai both shielded their eyes from the sudden heat. Once the fireball had subsided, Sasuke smirked as a cloud of smoke formed. Several kunai came flying through the smoke at him and he used his sword to deflect them. With exact precision, he put his sword back in its sheath and began to form the deadly Chidori in his hand.

Kakashi frowned as the fight was beginning to get a little more serious than they needed it to be. Tsunade warned him to keep an eye on Sasuke, just in case. Kakashi disappeared in a flash and appeared in between the two perfectly deflecting Sasuke's Chidori and Naruto's final clone.

"Oy! What the hell!" Naruto shouted a few feet away and crossed his arms. Sasuke smirked slightly, as he stood up straighter. _Just as I thought… I'm still stronger._

"That'll do it for the day. It's getting late… Naruto, isn't Ramen Ichiraku closing early today?" Kakashi said as he looked over at the boy. His eyes grew wide.

"Wait! What time is it?! I still have time, right?" Naruto began to shuffle in panic towards the exit of the training grounds, seemingly forgetting about Sakura. Sasuke rolled his eyes and winced a bit as a surge of pain shot through his arm. He looked down to see blood seeping through the bandages that Hinata had put on earlier that morning.

"Can I help?" He heard Sakura's voice as she approached him. Her eyes twinkled and the wind tossed her pink hair. It wasn't that he didn't think Sakura was attractive. As a growing boy, he silently made observations. It was her clingy and desperate intentions that made him disinterested. Not to mention love was never a priority for him back in those days. He glared at her hoping to send the message for her to leave him alone.

"No." Sasuke said curtly and she frowned. Kakashi and Sai were already heading out for the evening, so it just left the two standing in the training grounds.

"It'll just take a minute…" She pleaded and reached to grab his hand. He caught her wrist in mid action and forcefully held it tight. Sakura kept her gaze fixated on him firmly. He would give her credit that she was confident and stubborn, but so was he. Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Why can't people just listen to me the first time?_ He didn't want anyone's help. He didn't _need_ anyone's help let alone their pity. Sasuke was doing just fine and she didn't need to continue to follow him around like a puppy begging for attention.

"We're not friends. We're not team mates. We're not even comrades. Just leave me alone." He said coldly and she finally looked away in defeat. Sasuke let go of her wrist and turned around on his heels to leave. Sakura stared at her feet before taking a step forward to grab his hand again.

"Sasuke-kun… why didn't you ever love me!?" Her voice was a whisper and it was like nails on a chalk board to him. It was as if she was still holding on hoping, wishing, praying that he would change his mind. Plus the fact that she was now attached to Naruto made the whole situation stupid. It made him appreciate Hinata so much more because there were less complicated messes to deal with. He immediately ripped his hand from her grasp and turned to look at her. _I don't need this petty bullshit…_ His anger was beginning to rise.

"I never needed you." He was not affected by her emotions and he probably never would be. Sakura lifted a hand to wipe away a tear rolling down her cheek. Sasuke remembered seeing these same tears before from her. He remembered her desperation when she tried to stop him from leaving Konoha the first time and just like before he didn't care.

"And Hinata?" Sakura dared to say with jealousy dripping from every word. Sasuke crossed his arms and stared her down. _Ninja don't need love._ He remembered saying that and it was halfway true. Ninja come, they go, and sometimes families are left a member (or clan) short. Their lives weren't based on fairy tales and if anyone was to know that, it was him. However his views had been slightly changed and he felt like he deserved a happy ending. Everyone needs a companion; a person to dwell in and show their affection for. Sasuke wasn't as tactical as Shikamaru. He wasn't nearly as observant as Neji. And he certainly wasn't as charming as Naruto. But Hinata had chosen him under different circumstances than Sakura. She had chosen him because of _him—_not because of his name, looks or power.

"I need her." Sasuke finally said after a while. "I can live the rest of my life without you, or Naruto, or this entire village. But I cannot live without her." Sometimes he wondered if he needed her too much, but that neither here nor there. Sakura had never heard Uchiha Sasuke say anything remotely close to affection what so ever. _He really loves her… _The wind blew eerily between them as if something had finally been addressed. She forced a sad smile after a few seconds of disbelief. He watched her closely. Deciding there wasn't much else to say, Sasuke held out his arm to her, and she glanced through teary eyes at the blood soaked gauze. Sakura approached him closer and began to unravel the bandages. He watched her with those dark eyes as she began to heal the wound with her green chakra in silence.

They seemed to finally have a mutual understanding—Sasuke didn't love her, he never would and she needed to move on. The same could be said for Hinata and Naruto. He didn't love her, he never would but she _did_ move on. 'You don't always get what you want, but you get what need.' Satisfied with how Sasuke's wound healed, she nodded with approval.

"All better." Her voice was smaller than usual, but he didn't seem to notice.

"There you are." A familiar voice caused them both to look over towards the entrance of the training grounds. Nara Shikamaru stood with a hand on his hip. He was as equally, if not more, lazy than Kakashi. Shikamaru's face barely ever held emotion simply because it was subconsciously too much work. Sasuke hadn't seen him in years and he had heard good things about him. Just after Tsunade was deemed the new Hokage, he got promoted even though he had forfeited at the Chuunin exams. Shikamaru approached them and Sasuke frowned.

"Tsunade-sama is calling for you, Sasuke." Sakura glanced curiously over at the Uchiha who barely even registered what had been said. He just nodded and made his way out of the training grounds. Shikamaru heaved a sigh and looked to Sakura.

"That guy… he's gone for years, nearly destroys the village, and then acts like nothing happened." His voice always had a slight whine to it as things were almost always 'troublesome' for the Nara. However, ever since Asuma's death, he had taken on more responsible in honor of his sensei and was now a sensei himself. Sakura watched Sasuke disappear and she had to smile softly to herself.

"Sasuke-kun is one of a kind for sure… Can't live with him, can't live without him."

* * *

"Uchiha, the next time you barge into my office, you won't have to worry about those damn dreams anymore!" Tsunade shouted at him as he planted his feet in front of her desk. Tonton squealed in fear, jumping from Tsunade's lap and over to cower between Shizune's ankles. He smirked and crossed his arms.

"Sounds good." He said and she scowled before smacking her open palm on her forehead.

"How are those dreams, by the way?" She asked, her eyes narrowing at him. He lifted up what was left of the wound on his arm. Tsunade frowned, her facial expressions getting more serious.

"They're getting worse. Each time Orochimaru is closer and closer to doing me in." Sasuke said, letting his arm fall back to his side. She nodded before glancing over at Shizune, who looked equally concerned.

"I was worried about that. I take it having someone around to help you wake up in working otherwise?" Sasuke's glare said it all and she stood up to stretch her legs. "Well, I have an idea. Hyuuga Neji!" Her voice was almost as irritating as Sakura's, but the name she called out caught him by surprise. Neji opened the door and walked in.

"Good evening, Tsunade-sama." He said as his lavender eyes glanced over in Sasuke's direction. Neji did know about Hinata's relationship with him and Sasuke could tell it really pissed him off. That thought made a sly smile spread across his lips. Of course, Neji had nothing to worry about. Hinata was probably in better hands with the Uchiha than anyone else, excluding the fact that he almost killed her.

"This idea of yours better do something." Sasuke muttered, although he was actually very curious to know how the Hyuuga could help him. In fact, he even wondered why Hinata wasn't called forth to lend her ability. Tsunade crossed her arms and looked at both of the ninja before her.

"I'm curious to know whether or not the curse mark is actually gone." Tsunade began. "If Orochimaru is in fact dead, then it should be one hundred percent gone from your body. I'm worried if he's somehow stuck in between and using the Uchiha's genjutsu to make contact." Sasuke shifted his weight, and crossing his arms again.

"The curse mark has been gone for a while, now. You can't even see it." He said dully. Tsunade kept a firm gaze on him.

"I'm aware. A mark that complicated and powerful can sometimes form roots which shoot off into your body and into your chakra streams. While the mark itself might be gone, Orochimaru's chakra might not all be wiped from you." She said.

"The Byakugan can detect different types of chakra, such as Sakura's healing chakra. It emits a different kind of color and presence. The same goes for the curse mark." Neji spoke up, his voice as calm as can be. Sasuke felt his eyes roll.

"Hinata has used her Byakugan on me plenty of times," He paused to savor the glare from her cousin. "And she never noticed anything unusual." Neji stepped forward a bit, as if he was about to shoot down that thought.

"Like I said, Orochimaru's curse mark has a different type of chakra. It is much more difficult to detect. It can only be seen if one is closely looking for it." Neji replied to which Sasuke didn't have anything to counter. Tsunade looked to Sasuke for approval on the idea and he shrugged.

"Why does he have to do it?" Sasuke asked accusingly.

"Hinata-san is busy preparing for her ceremony next week. She doesn't have time to waste." _Time to waste… ch… if only you knew, Hyuuga. _Sasuke acted like he didn't care, but if he was going to be honest with himself, he missed her dearly. Of course he saw her throughout the night, but it wasn't enough.

"And if there _is_ still chakra left behind, then what?"

"Then we go from there. I can work with that." Tsunade said. Sasuke was irritated. Why couldn't things just be easy for him again? There were always so many obstacles in his way, but he could just hear his father's voice in his head. _You got yourself in this mess, now deal with the consequences of your actions._

"When do we start?" Sasuke asked eventually.

"Now! Come, have a seat, Uchiha." Tsunade said brightly while her honey eyes seemed to twinkle with excitement. Sasuke hesitated before sitting down in a chair that Shizune had set out. Neji stood behind the chair and closed his eyes to concentrate.

"Sit still." He told Sasuke who felt the sudden urge to whip around and beat him with the chair, but he didn't. Neji folded his hands in the seals and the veins around his eyes bulged out.

"Byakugan!" Neji was silent after that as he began to concentrate deeper on the figure sitting before him. He saw the light blue chakra flowing normally throughout his body but there was something inconsistent. _Hinata-san wouldn't have noticed… nor would I had I of not been concentrating so hard. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack._ Sasuke began to shift impatiently after several minutes passed.

"Well?" He said impatiently. Tsunade scowled.

"Hush. This is going to take a little while, so get comfortable." Just as she said that, Neji spoke up.

"I see it. It's…very strange and very small." Neji murmured in curiosity and Sasuke frowned. It was times like this where he wished he knew more about the Byakugan and all its mystery. He had so much time with Hinata that he should have been asking.

"…Really?"

"Yes. There is a small cluster of dark blue chakra flowing. It seems to originate from the shoulder area." He said, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. The amount of concentration and chakra control it took to keep a steady view was even challenging the great Neji. Tsunade uncrossed her arms and approached Sasuke.

"This is the problem." She said pulling back the top of his shirt. "The curse mark is gone, but the root of it is still there." Sasuke's mind began to race. Perhaps that flow of dark chakra was what caused his temper to overflow constantly. His body was attempting to call forth the curse mark, but it wasn't entirely there so it just circled his body stirring up anger and rage. At least that was what Sasuke had a theory about. He stood up, obviously done with being a lab rat. Neji allowed his Byakugan to retreat and he rubbed his forehead warily.

"Well, get that chakra out of my body." Sasuke demanded as he crossed his arms. Tsunade rested her hands on her curvy hips and her facial features remained serious. There was silence for a while until she spoke again.

"There are two things we need to do, Sasuke. We need to get rid of the root of the curse mark and then cut off the genjutsu causing you those dreams." Sasuke stared at her.

"Cut off the genjutsu?"

"Yes. And that means cutting off complete contact…" Her voice trailed off as she turned her back to him.

"Absolutely not," replied Sasuke with an annoyed tone. Being reunited with his family was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He was able to see, interact and emotionally re-connect with his mother and father. Neji crossed his arms.

"From my understanding you don't have a choice." He said as if disinterested and Sasuke turned to glare at him. _What the hell do you know?_

"This isn't any of your fucking business. You can go now." He growled and Neji closed his eyes not swayed by him. He took a step forward loose robes swaying as he stopped next to the Uchiha.

"It is when you involve Hinata-san." Neji said eyeing him threateningly. Sasuke felt the rage churning in his body. He'd shut this Hyuuga up right here and right now, except Tsunade interrupted his thoughts.

"Alright, alright. Sasuke, you have some things to think over. It's all or nothing with this; you either continue the rest of your life with potentially life threatening dreams, or we get rid of it all together and problem solved." Tsunade said, throwing in more authority to her tone. Sasuke stared with icy eyes at the Hokage before laughing arrogantly.

"Whatever. I'll take my chances, then." He said. "I've dealt with worse. That fucker can toy with me all he wants…" Sasuke turned and began walking to the door of the office. Neji turned.

"Sasuke, that's not a good move." Neji said, but it wasn't acknowledged by the Uchiha as he slammed the door behind him. Tsunade sighed heavily, and leaned up against her desk.

"Damnit. I have a bad feeling about this." She said and Neji thought about Hinata. She had enough going on that she didn't need anything else piled on her plate. The past week, she was attending long and grueling sessions with Hiashi learning different rules, traditions, and even sitting in on Hyuuga council meetings. Hinata even still worked in training time with her sister. He could see the stress wearing down on her; bags were under her eyes, the sparkle had vanished from eyes and even her small smile had gotten even smaller. Neji knew deep down that her breaking point would be near.

* * *

Hinata crept silently through the Hyuuga mansion, knowing precisely where each creak and crack was in the floor boards. The moonlight was there to guide her through the hallways and her Byakugan was also there to keep close watch on family members as they slept. It had become quite the routine and something Hinata got a thrill of. She never snuck out of her home before, especially not for a boy. At first it terrified her, but once she got it down and had gotten away with it, she welcomed the challenge.

Her feet were quiet down the road to the Uchiha District and she pulled her jacket tighter around her body. Winter was definitely upon Konoha as she could see her breath fog up and disappear before her wary eyes. After all the hard work she put in, Hinata almost considered herself a full-time Hyuuga now. Not that she was ashamed of her clan before, but there were other things in life for her to concentrate on… like becoming a ninja, fitting in with her team and even Naruto was there to keep her mind elsewhere.

Her birthday was just a week away, and she couldn't tell if she was shivering due to nerves or due to the cold breeze that shot past her. The light from Sasuke's house was on as usual and she began to jog to get there quicker. All she needed was him. He was on her mind when she woke up in his bed, to the afternoons when she should be concentrating on Hyuuga documents all the way until she rested her body next to him. Hinata was glad when Sasuke opened the front door to greet her. She smiled tiredly as she walked inside.

"S-Sure is getting colder out…" Her teeth chattered as she slipped off her shoes. Sasuke approached her from behind and wrapped his warm arms around her.

"You're late." He whispered huskily into her ear which sent a shudder throughout her body. Hinata smiled, smelling the scent of his soap. She was so happy to finally be with him.

"Hai… Father had a late meeting with the Elders." Hinata said quietly and he released his grip on her. "O-Oh. Your arm is so much better!" She exclaimed turning to face him. Sasuke gave his eyes a roll, remembering the day's events.

"Yeah. Kakashi was holding a training session today and Sakura had to be nosy." He mumbled, as he looked down at his arm. Hinata smiled brightly when his fingers came up to caress her rosy cheeks. Sasuke then poked her nose.

"Cold?" He asked with a slightly amused tone. Hinata laughed gently and nodded. "C'mon."

They lay in bed and Hinata talked quietly about her day. Sasuke normally wouldn't have cared about anything that went on in other people's lives, but to his surprise it was more interesting than he originally believed. He discovered that there was quite a bit of things Hinata needed to learn, from secret jutsus to proper protocol in case of war or emergency. Her head was resting on his chest and as she spoke, her small fingers drew little circles and swirls over his heart.

"Sounds like a lot of bullshit." He said after a while. Hinata laughed half-heartedly before nodding while her eyes closed.

"Yes. I'm worried I won't be able to do it." Sasuke conjured a growl from deep within his throat as he rolled on his side to face her.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't—you're right." Sasuke said word for word one of the many riddles his father offered in times like these to him. His dark eyes stared deep into her light eyes and he watched a lock of her bangs slide down into the crevices of her eyelids. Her pale skin was glowing and she reached up to move a lock of his own hair from his eyes.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun." She whispered. Hinata was so used to dealing with these things on her own. Hanabi was often too young to fully grasp the concepts of her life and sometimes she was too scared to let go of her personal feelings. And of course Hinata didn't dare divulge in Neji, knowing how judgmental he could be. Sometimes Hinata would talk to Shino or Kurenai-sensei seeking advice in silly ways. She was now at a point in her life where she was no longer a child and responsibilities were hard to avoid. Sasuke didn't say anything; instead he leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her soft lips.

He put his hands on her lower back, pulling her closer to his body. Their kiss deepened and Hinata felt a sudden burst of passion. Her small hands began to explore his shoulders and broad chest. Whatever she was doing, Sasuke was thoroughly enjoying and he pulled her up with him when he rolled over onto his back. Hinata managed to break their kiss, staring down at him. Their legs were entangled as she lay on top of him and his hands held her firmly.

"Hinata…" His voice was a groan of desire. Hormones were raging through both of their bodies and Hinata leaned down to kiss his nose.

"Y-You should get some sleep, Sasuke-kun." She whispered, before sliding back down to his side. Disappointed, but understanding, Sasuke managed to stuff his feelings back inside as he felt his eyelids beginning to get heavy.

* * *

Darkness surrounded him and his eyes looked around. It reminded him of when he was running at Itachi with his electrifying Chidori. There wasn't anything to his left, his right, above or below him. There was simply blackness. Sasuke frowned as he stepped forward and began to walk. He was hoping to see his mother or even his father. He remembered just a few days ago when he talked for hours to his mother about Hinata and about the rebuilt district. Sasuke was even able to spar with his father earlier that week. They always ended with the menacing eyes of Orochimaru.

"Mother? Father?" His voice seemed to echo in the nothingness that was all around him. There was no sign of anything. Perhaps this was what a normal dream was. He couldn't quite remember; Sasuke never really had much for dreams, except the nightmares as a child of the massacre to his clan.

And then it hit him; that pain that seemed to crawl deep into his brain caused him to fall to his knees as he cried out in agony. It was the same pain he got whenever Orochimaru showed his ugly face, and his body felt like it was crawling with bugs under his skin. _This chakra… it burns!_ He managed to open his eyes even though the pain was almost blinding. It was a good thing, though, because there he was, with that all too familiar sword coming straight for him. _Fuck._

"Hahaha. That bitch Tsunade thinks she can cure you." Orochimaru's voice echoed and he lurched out of the way somehow. The legendary ninja reached into his throat to withdraw the sword and he licked his lips with his long tongue. Sasuke tried, like he always did, to conjure up the strength to put all his chakra into the Chidori. There was literally _nothing_ that he could do but dodge the blade that came at him one more time.

"Leave me ALONE!" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth as he stood up warily. Orochimaru simply laughed while he pointed the sword at him.

"I gave you my power and this is how you repay me, Sasuke-kun? You're not going to walk away this time. I'll kill you before the Hyuuga can pull you out." His eyes seemed to be full of excitement and Sasuke could just feel the power radiating from him.

"Touch her and you'll die again." Sasuke growled trying desperately to ignore the sharp pain inside his body. Orochimaru was calm as he stood there. His long hair seemed to slither like snakes and his tongue came out to lick his lips again.

"The Byakugan is a power thing. What would you think if I plucked them right from her head for testing purposes?" Orochimaru asked casually, smiling gleefully when Sasuke's fists shook with anger. "I mean, if Kakashi can acquire the Sharingan…imagine what could happen with the Hyuuga Kekkei Genkai." Sasuke hadn't felt this much rage since he decided to go after his brother with thoughts of revenge. Without even thinking about the pain anymore, he ran up to throw a solid punch at the man. The punch landed on his jaw, but it felt more like rubber underneath his fist and Sasuke lurched back when Orochimaru's body became a pile of snakes.

"I _will_ get your perfect body this time, Sasuke-kun…" That voice echoed around him and he looked left and right but there was no sign of Orochimaru. There was nothing but silence for a while, but he didn't let his guard down. A presence came behind him, and before he had the chance to take cover, he felt the sharp blade of Orochimaru's sword pierce through the left side of his back.

"AGH!" Sasuke felt frozen as the blade slowly pushed through his muscles and organs.

"My chakra will always flow through your veins, Sasuke-kun. I will become one with you, now…" Orochimaru whispered pushing the blade in further with more force. Blood began to drip down his chin as he stood almost defeated. _Hinata… HINATA!_ He was going to die. Sasuke was going to be no more. He would never see her again or be able to look into those eyes again. He gritted his teeth as he tried to move his hands, but it wasn't working.

Suddenly, another presence was exposed and everything from there on out was in complete slow motion for Sasuke. He watched Itachi appear out of the darkness, knocking Orochimaru to the ground. With a quick and fluid motion, his brother pulled the sword from Sasuke's back. He fell to his knees and hands as blood began to pour out.

"….Itachi!" He managed to cry. Orochimaru was already at work attacking Itachi, producing another sword from inside his body. This didn't seem to faze the late Uchiha as they went back and forth, the metal clinking straight into Sasuke's brain.

"Sasuke." Itachi yelled calmly and he looked at his little brother while pushing Orochimaru away. "You know what you need to do. I am going to close the genjutsu for good." Sasuke gripped his back, and slowly got to his feet. _No…no. Not this way!_

"NO!" Sasuke cried hoarsely, and Itachi went through another round of fighting the snake-like man. "Mother…and Father! And you!"

"You were meant to survive. You were meant to rebuild the Uchiha name. Father and Mother already know." Itachi muttered through blows to Orochimaru's sword. Blood began to forcibly make its way up Sasuke's throat as he coughed. The pain was getting worse, but it was the last thing he was worried about as he watched his brother fight his former teacher. The entire time, he kept screaming 'no' in his mind.

"It's no use!" Orochimaru screeched as he knocked the sword from Itachi's hand. "You won't get in my way… You both failed! This world doesn't need failures! It needs GREATNESS. It needs _me._" Orochimaru's voice was getting disturbingly desperate. Itachi smirked and looked back over at his brother one last time. Sasuke saw his eyes no longer bore the Sharingan—they were just like he remembered them before everything turned into utter chaos in his life.

"You are weak. Why are you weak? Because you lack… love. Cherish what is in front of you for me… for mother and for father. We'll be watching." That familiar phrase struck a chord in his heart as the memory of Itachi holding him up against a broken wall whispering those words in his ear. Except… now Sasuke had too much held out his hand in shock as Orochimaru's sword swiped into Itachi's side. With quick precision, Itachi's hands formed seals he didn't recognize and with one last word, Itachi yelled "SEAL!"

"NO!" Sasuke screamed, and the last thing he saw was his brother smiling at him. Like a wall crumbling from loss of support, the blackness fell apart all around him. Itachi and Orochimaru seemed to be dissolving in front of his eyes and all he could hear was Orochimaru's scream. It would haunt him for the rest of his life as everything faded away.


	18. Chapter 18

Wooooo. Only one more chapter then we can wrap this shit up. :D *dances*

* * *

The familiar beeping of the machines awoke Uchiha Sasuke. His whole body felt limp and almost somewhat numb as his heavy eyelids cracked open. For a few seconds, he cursed himself for landing back in the hospital. Sasuke seemed to spend more time here than he wanted. Then it began to slowly sink in why he was in the hospital. He tried sitting up, but there was a terrible pain in his lower back that caused him to lie back down. _Damnit… Itachi._ His eyes narrowed as they starred angrily at the ceiling. The dream he had was real which meant his wounds were real…and the genjutsu was sealed. He formed a fist and slammed it down next to him.

His mind raced with what he could remember but it was fairly blurry. Orochimaru's scream was the soundtrack to his thoughts, but the one thing that seemed to bring him peace was that knowing his mother and father understood. Sasuke suddenly felt a wave of emotion hit him and his eyes began to fill with hot tears. His room was empty but even if Naruto was in here, he didn't care. The tears began to spill over the edges and flowed freely down onto his pillow. _Mother… Father… Itachi… _Those dreams were a double edge sword for him almost quite literally. He was able to reconnect with his lost family, but was almost taken by the blade of Orochimaru.

Sasuke regretted not being able to say more to his mother. He never did tell her he loved her or any of the things he always thought to say. Sasuke always wanted one last fight with his father, just to go back to the feeling of having a true authority figure in his life. He almost _hated_ the fact that he unlocked the seals and was able to meet once more with his family. It was like cutting into a perfectly healed scar except this time it seemed to ache even more. Perhaps it was because he had a large wound, and again, would have to be stuck here.

A year ago, Uchiha Sasuke would have embraced the quiet emptiness of his hospital room, taking full advantage of the peaceful alone time he had. There was something that also ached in his chest and it was a feeling he refused to feel for a long time: loneliness. Growing up, that feeling of having no one around made for long tearful nights. He often wept himself to sleep wishing that he would wake up the next morning to his mother's face. After graduating from the Academy, Sasuke made sure to ignore that feeling and put his entire being into finding his brother. There was no down time to dwell which was also another reason why he always excelled. People in Konoha labelled him a genius because of his name, when in fact it was just because he worked really hard. He felt like he was back at square one.

His thoughts moved on to Hyuuga Hinata. She wasn't by his side which meant she was probably busy getting ready to become the leader of her clan. Sasuke always supported her actions, but a sense of bitterness was settling in his throat. Of course he didn't want her to do it—he loved her. Sasuke wanted her near all the time to help soothe the scars of his past and remind him he was _more_ than just a ninja; to tell him that he was loved and needed. Even the cold hearted Zabuza, who murdered senselessly, still found room in his heart to care for his beloved Haku. Yes, he felt selfish and in his case perhaps he had every right to feel that way. Sasuke's life had always been overly complicated with its twists, turns and hardships at such a young age. For once, he wanted simplicity. Sasuke would trade in his sword and adventures if it meant to be with her.

"Well, good morning." This predicament sent him back to a year ago when he had awoken from his coma and his eyes warily looked over to the person at the door. Tsunade smiled as she slid the door shut behind her. Sasuke didn't say anything. She approached his bed and took a seat in the chair next to him. "Silly question, but how are you feeling?" If Sasuke could smirk he would but there was little energy in his body. Tsunade had now learned to be a step ahead of the Uchiha and his smart ass responses. He decided to play along for old time's sake.

"Like shit." He mumbled and the little vein in her forehead twitched. Her expression turned annoyed, but after a small sigh she got over it.

"Yes, that's not surprising. You've been asleep for a few days… dreamless I hope?" She asked as she crossed her legs. Sasuke had to think for a moment and the emotion was beginning to return. He fought like hell not to cry and succeeded. Yes, Sasuke had had a dreamless sleep and it was bittersweet. His mind was able to rest during those days but his heart still ached knowing that the genjutsu was sealed forever.

"What happened?" He asked curious to know. Tsunade's expression was calm and serious as she stared at the Uchiha before her. A lot had happened in just those few shorts days and she thought about how to word it.

"Well, Hyuuga Hinata brought you in late that night. The girl was a wreck and had somehow managed to carry you all the way here. The wound you received was indeed a sword stab, and hit a few vital areas in your body. Luckily we were able to get you stable and well… you are in much better condition than you were a year ago." Tsunade said watching his face closely. As usual, his expression remained stoic. She allowed a small amount of time for him to process it.

"How is she?" Sasuke finally asked. Tsunade frowned.

"Physically all right of course. Mentally she is overwhelmed. Not only does she blame herself for not recognizing the genjutsu sooner, but her father now knows of her stays overnight." Sasuke's stomach dropped and he suddenly felt ashamed for feeling bitter towards her. Her father probably wouldn't allow her anywhere _near_ this hospital and probably had Neji watching her every move. Sasuke stared intently at the ceiling. Tsunade continued.

"Tomorrow is her birthday." Her voice was quiet and yet his expression remained the same. He had heard her, but decided his brain was at full capacity of emotion for the day. Tomorrow, she became the new clan leader and their relationship would probably end. Sasuke would continue to live alone in his rebuilt district with no motive or reason to wake up in the mornings. After 18 years of attending his own pity party, he had finally had enough.

"When can I leave?" Sasuke had been silent for so long, Tsunade had stood up to leave him be. Upon hearing that question, she rested a hand on her hip.

"I'd like to keep you overnight but tomorrow you are free to go. Just make sure you stop by and see Sakura daily to make sure that your wound is healing properly." Tsunade said and when he didn't respond, she opened the door and left.

The next morning, Sasuke awoke feeling strangely refreshed and he didn't like it. He knew that a dreamless sleep meant he wasn't waking up every few hours fighting for his life like he had been doing for the past few months. However it also meant that he wasn't engaging in conversation with his mother or father anymore. Sasuke knew it would take some time to come to terms with it. He noticed that sometime over the night, his IV had been removed and his body didn't feel so numb. His wound wasn't as bad as he originally thought and was glad that he was able to leave without having to break out of the hospital this time.

His door slid open and in walked Tsunade with a bright smile. Behind her was an emotionless Hyuuga Neji. Sasuke always figured they were quite similar; they both lost loved ones and had plenty of hardships throughout life which caused them to excel in their ninja abilities but that didn't mean he had to like him. Sitting up, Sasuke followed Tsunade with those dark eyes.

"I can go, right?" He was clearly ignoring the Hyuuga because it only made him think of Hinata and how today was the day she would be sworn in. Neji didn't seem to be fazed by it. Tsunade nodded as she looked down at his chart.

"Yeah, yeah, but first I'd like to remove that nasty chakra from your body." She said referring to the root of the curse mark that remained in his chakra flow. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders not really caring too much about it anymore.

"Does it really matter now that the dreams are gone?"

"Yes, Uchiha… we just want to make sure it's all done and over with. Are you able to stand?" She asked, and he prayed that his legs wouldn't be wobbly in front of Neji. The last thing he needed was to look stupid. Sasuke managed to get his feet slowly keeping in mind it had been a few days since he applied weight to his legs. Standing in front of the Fifth Hokage, he felt a slight twinge of pain from the wound on his back which was of course wrapped in gauze.

"Alright, Neji, can you help me out?" Tsunade said and Neji stepped forward. Without a word, he called forth his Byakugan, and after a few minutes of almost unbearable silence, he seemed to of fallen into deep concentration.

"The chakra begins in the upper shoulder and circulates throughout the main system. It's just one big cycle." Neji said quietly. Tsunade nodded.

"Do you mind taking off your shirt?" She asked, to which he did with help due to his wounds and bandages. "Okay, now hold still." With his back facing her, Tsunade formed several different hand seals.

"Dark Chakra Extraction," Tsunade said before lightly placing her palm down on the exact spot where Orochimaru had branded him so many years ago. Neji was watching with his Byakugan still active, and Sasuke suddenly felt a strange tingling sensation throughout his body. Dark chakra began to ball up underneath her palm as it was being pulled from his chakra streams. It didn't cause any pain to Sasuke, but he began to feel light headed, as if she was taking all of his energy with it. His knees began to shake against his own will and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"How does it look, Neji?" Tsunade said sharply as the ball of chakra had grown to the size of an orange into her hand. Neji narrowed his eyes for further concentration.

"I do not detect any more of the chakra from the curse mark." He said through gritted teeth. Neji had to really dive in deeper into Sasuke's chakra to make sure that all of it was really out. Tsunade nodded as she pulled the dark ball of chakra from his body. Looking over at the Hyuuga, she held it out to him.

"Remember what I taught you?" She asked and he nodded as he released the Byakugan. From the pockets of his pants, Neji revealed what to the normal person would consider a paper bomb. And in essence, it was, but it was a special chakra bomb specifically made for disposing of poisonous chakra such as the kind in her hand. Tsunade held the ball of chakra firmly and with the paper bomb in his fingers, he formed four different seals before slapping it on the roots of the curse mark.

"Seal," Neji said and the paper bomb grew larger so that it wrapped completely around the ball before imploding. Tsunade looked down at her hand and was satisfied when nothing but a puff of smoke remained. Tsunade smiled and dusted off her hands.

"Good job, Neji." She said and he nodded. Sasuke turned around warily, and began to stumble. Neji caught the Uchiha before he face planted on the floor and he was careful of the wound he had as well. Sasuke would have rather broken his nose in 8 different places then be 'saved' by him.

"Get off… I don't need your help." Sasuke murmured as he struggled and Neji frowned looking over at Tsunade.

"It's normal. His body was relying on the powerful chakra for some time now, and even though it wasn't much, it was strong enough to knock the wind out of him." She said and smiled gently. Neji helped Sasuke over to the bed where he could sit down to recollect himself.

"I need to grab your release forms Uchiha, so if you leave before I get back, I can guarantee I'll give you a reason to stay in this hospital longer." Tsunade warned before opening the door to leave. Neji stood up and looked down at Sasuke who was starting to feel more aware of his surroundings. They were both silent, and he was beginning to get irritated.

"Get out." He said. Sasuke hated Neji and he hated his uncle, too. In fact, he decided right then and there that he hated almost the entire Hyuuga clan. Maybe it was a little of old feelings knowing that the Uchiha's and Hyuuga's always had their differences, but it was mainly because of how they treated Hinata like garbage and were now throwing her into such a position to where she was surely to fail. He knew that Hinata could thrive but only around supportive people. Sasuke knew her spirit would die out if she was constantly under the scrutiny of her father and the entire clan. Hinata wasn't like Naruto, who could work off little to no support systems. Neji crossed his arms at the sudden demand. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't hesitate to leave, but there was something he had to say.

"Hinata-san has formally asked for your presence during the ceremony tonight." He said. Sasuke thought about laughing at that statement. He also thought about punching Neji square in the face but he still felt weak from the extraction. Instead, he rubbed his forehead.

"I'll pass." Sasuke said and kept his gaze firmly away from the Hyuuga's. It wasn't that he didn't want to go because of her, but mainly because he knew that she needed to concentrate on more important things. Besides, Sasuke would feel incredibly out of place. Neji closed his eyes almost out of frustration.

"I understand you may feel it's a waste of your time, however, this is something very important to Hinata-san. For once, stop thinking of yourself and think of her." That prompted Sasuke to stand up suddenly out of anger as he leaned in Neji's face. They were both about the same height, so it wasn't as intimidating as Sasuke thought it would be.

"Stop acting like you know everything about me. I love her more than anyone in that entire fucking clan does and-"

"If you love her, then you should be there for her big day." Neji interrupted calmly and stared him down. "Contrary to what you think about us, we love Hinata-san dearly. She was here every day to see you in the hospital on top of preparing for the ceremony and continuing her daily training. Her spirit is slowly dwindling but every time you are mentioned, her eyes light up. Upon hearing you had awoken yesterday, she smiled for the first time in a week. I hope you can reconsider and be there to see her off." Sasuke was silent as those words sunk in. _She came to see me…?_ Neji's voice seemed sincere enough, not that he needed that to seal the deal. He sat back down on the bed and stared at the floor.

It was the bitter taste of being wrong again that plagued him and he felt somewhat stupid as he had basically 'been told' by Neji. It was true, however, that Hinata had sacrificed a lot for the Uchiha and he in return hadn't done much. There was still a lot for him to learn, and that was part of the problem; Sasuke thought he knew it all hence when he was wrong, it felt so bad. He wondered how his life would have turned out if his clan was still alive. Would he always be so bitter and angry? Perhaps he would be a Jounin by now…maybe even married. It took a lot of strength and will power to look into Neji's eyes.

"What time do I need to be there?"

* * *

Hinata's world was a whirlwind of people. The past few weeks had been enough to make even the calm and collected Shino start to sweat. Her schedule was filled to the brim from morning until night, literally; attending council meetings, pouring over scrolls of documents and making sure Sasuke didn't die in his sleep was difficult on her. When she awoke noticing blood through Sasuke's shirt, Hinata went into panic mode, gathering an almost grown adult male in her small arms and bringing him to the hospital.

She blamed herself for falling asleep. Normally she would wake up every few minutes to make sure Sasuke was alright or if he needed to be woken up. This time there were no signs of anything wrong until she woke up seeing the blood. Hinata would have lost her mind if he had died on her watch. When Neji told her he had woken up a few days later, she felt a sudden wave of relief. She had visited him every day when she could; between meetings or training sessions Hinata would stop in and just watch him sleep like before. Tsunade mentioned that they were keeping a close eye on his brain waves and were unable to detect the genjutsu. A nurse was in his room for 24 hours straight just monitoring him, but Tsunade had a hunch that the genjutsu was sealed.

Unfortunately, she didn't have much extra time to think of Sasuke as the Hyuuga clan was preparing for a huge ceremony to retire Hyuuga Hiashi and name Hinata as the leader. Aunts and cousins and even her sister Hanabi were frolicking around her in a room, running brushes and combs through her long dark hair.

"Ahh, Hinata-san you're going to look so beautiful." One of her aunts remarked as her hair was rolled up in a bun. She tried to smile politely, but another aunt was already beginning to put color onto her lips. Hinata wasn't used to all the attention or all of the beautifying processes that she was going through. Even though her life had always been under a microscope as the heir and Hiashi's daughter, she never thought much to be anything other than herself. Hanabi always poked fun at her saying she had such an opportunity to flaunt herself since everyone was looking. However, anyone who knew the Hyuuga girl would say that she was anything but attention-seeking. In fact, when her admirations were still on the jinchuuriki, she would even avoid him just to save herself the embarrassment.

After almost an hour of this, Hinata began to feel claustrophobic. There were too many people surrounding her at once, their voices getting louder by the second at how beautiful Hinata looked in her ceremonial kimono, which was longer and less colorful than the one she wore to the wedding. She stood awkwardly in front of her aunts and cousins almost completely outside of her comfort zone. Hanabi smiled as she approached her.

"You look beautiful." She whispered and reached up to smooth down a stray hair that had gotten out of the bun.

"Um… do you think I could get some fresh air?" Hinata asked as she fidgeted. Hanabi raised her eyebrow in surprise. Had it of been her, Hanabi would be soaking this up with every last drop. However, she understood her sister's uncomfortableness and grabbed her hand to lead her to the wooden walkway outside.

Before Hinata could welcome the cold breeze, both girls were surprised to see small snowflakes falling from the clouds above. Hinata watched the flakes slowly dance in the breeze and she looked over to her sister.

"Wow… it's snowing!" She said. They stood there for a few moments, just watching and listening. The sound of the snow always calmed her, which Neji teased her about once as children. _Snow doesn't make sound!_ But Hinata always thought the howling of the wind and the beauty of the emptiness around them was nice. She remembered as a little girl the one time it did snow in Konoha; she had looked up at the sky as the snow swirled around her. Everything was so crisp, fresh and clean. Hinata recalled Neji trying to catch a snow flake on his tongue, and she followed suit. Pretty soon, all of the younger Hyuuga's were standing outside trying to see what snow tasted like, much to the disappointment of the elders.

Hanabi grinned as she reached out to watch a snow flake flutter onto her open palm. Hinata bent down to pick up a small amount of snow that hard formed on the walkway and tossed it over at her sister. She squealed in surprise, and scooped some snow up herself, threatening to throw it on her ceremonial kimono.

"Watch it, sis! You wouldn't want snow to ruin your big night, do you?" Hanabi said with a smirk. Hinata laughed, but that smile slowly faded as the realization of how the rest of her life was going to be sunk in. Hinata would no longer be able to go on simple missions, as she would have plenty to do at home. She would no longer be able to see Sasuke or many of her friends whenever she felt like it. Life was going to be changing for her drastically and she wondered if it was for the better. Maybe the top position would help with her lack of confidence. Hanabi watched her curiously, as she dropped the handful of snow.

"Are you nervous?" She asked suddenly and Hinata looked over at her.

"C-Can you tell?"

"Just a little." Hanabi laughed lightly, her breath fogging up in front of her. "You'll do fine."

"Yeah, I suppose, but that isn't w-what I'm really worried about." Hinata confessed before rubbing her lips together, not used to the lip stick. Her thoughts had wandered back to Sasuke and the unknown status of their relationship. He was the only familiar and stable thing that she had to cling onto, and he might not even be there rooting her on. Hanabi frowned.

"He's just a guy. He'll get over it… besides, this is way more important. It's your clan… your family. Some of us would kill to be in your position." Hinata looked over at her sister at that last comment and stiffened her stance. _She wanted this… _It did cross her mind a few times that perhaps Hanabi would have been a better candidate to take over, but it never really occurred that Hanabi would even want it. She always talked about missions and adventures, so Hinata never thought much of it. To her, Sasuke wasn't _just a boy… _He was someone she could talk to about anything and get a truly honest response in return. He was someone who she could just lay with and not have worry about coming up with small talk. He was also someone she could spar with, without having to worry about looking weak. Before she could say anything, the door behind them slid open.

"Hinata-san… it's almost time." One of her aunts warned and her stomach began to tie itself into a knot with nerves. She nodded going back inside.

The next few minutes were blurry. Hinata had never felt so nervous in her life. Of course passing the exams at the Academy was always something to worry about, but at least she could prepare herself for it by going through her notes and past experiences. Hinata had no idea what to expect or if her wobbly legs would even make it to the large banquet room in the mansion. She vaguely remembered going through the practice run the night before and the things that she was supposed to say. As they approached the two big doors to enter into the banquet room full of people, Hinata suddenly forgot everything she was supposed to do or say. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _I can do this… Mother… I hope I can make you proud._ Deep within her body, a new wave of confidence seemed to surge through her and she stood up straighter almost embracing the following few moments.

"Ready?" Hanabi whispered to her and she nodded.

"Yes." The big doors were pushed open, and the room seemed to take her breath away. The decorations around the room were so beautiful and traditional, with red Japanese lanterns and cherry blossoms. However, the decorations couldn't keep her eyes away from the amount of people in the room, who were all kneeling on pads, waiting for Hinata to arrive. Using some of her newly found courage, she pushed forward, seeing her father Hiashi and the entire Hyuuga counsel at the front of the room. The room was silent as she walked, with Hanabi behind her. It was so quiet that the beating of her heart was getting distracting, but Hinata didn't show it on her face.

As she reached the front of the room, Hinata stood in front of the sitting counsel before bowing gently. She then turned to greet her father, who had stood up to tower over her. Hinata could feel the confidence in her fighting to retreat as the stern eyes of the clan seemed to watch her every move. For a small moment, she decided to see if there was a certain person in the crowd. She had requested Uchiha Sasuke to be there and Hinata almost hoped he wasn't. He would be able to detect her nervousness right off the bat. Her eyes scanned the faces; she saw Neji sitting down in the group of the Branch House who were staring intently at her. However, there was someone who looked very out of place: The Fifth Hokage, Tsunade with her bright blonde hair, sat in front as well. She gave a supportive smile to Hinata who only nodded gently.

Hinata suddenly felt his presence. Sasuke stood in the back of the large room, leaning up against the back wall with his arms crossed. His dark and mysterious eyes seemed to be staring right at her and she even noticed he had put on a nice set of robes. Her heart ached in her chest and the only thing she wanted to do was run up and throw her arms around him. The last time she saw Sasuke was in the hospital from almost dying in his sleep.

"Hyuuga Hinata." One of the elders snapped her from her thoughts as she looked over. Hiashi frowned, knowing that she wasn't fully paying attention. Hinata turned her back to the crowd and bowed.

"Hai." She had never been so happy in her life than knowing she was able to suppress a stutter at such an important time. The main elder stood up, and walked slowly over to both of them.

"As the heir to the Hyuuga clan, you have been summoned to take over the position of the leader for the clan. As today marks your 18th birthday, you are now of age to take your father's place."

Sasuke did show up, just like he had promised Neji. With arms crossed, he wasn't really paying any attention to what was happening at the front of the room. The urge to just walk out had weighed on his mind for the past 10 minutes. This wasn't what he wanted. When Hinata had entered the room, he noticed a new confidence in her that he'd never seen. She was beautiful, graceful, and something about the way she walked made him seem like this was what she truly wanted. Sasuke watched gloomily as her father turned to look at crowd. Hinata also turned, her eyes staring directly at him. He mustered up the strength to smile at her, which he noticed even prompted a blush on her cheeks. _Well, she deserves this. Hyuuga… you worked damn hard. Congratulations…_ Sasuke pushed his weight from the wall and quietly slid open the door to exit the room. The voices of the elder's began to blur in Hinata's head as her eyes watched Sasuke leave. _Sasuke-kun…_

Sasuke walked slowly from the Hyuuga mansion, deciding that it was too hoity-toity for him. All of the hallways were the same, decorated with such traditional ways. Things were too different there, and he needed a breath of fresh air. He certainly felt out of place, and more than one Hyuuga had given him dirty looks, to which he only returned. The air was quiet as he stood outside of the mansion, just watching the snowflakes fall. _She doesn't need me there. She's got everything she'd ever need… what can I offer her? _

Sasuke had had his fair share of predicaments in his life, whether it was breaking bones in his body or mastering a very difficult jutsu. He had never had such a problem that involved a woman, so it was very confusing for him. There was always a solution to everything—broken bones get splinted and jutsu's do eventually get learned to perfection. He was never good with his feelings so maybe it was a good thing that they went their separate ways. They never did discuss that part, mainly because they were so focused on Sasuke's dreams.

He knew that he would never find anyone else that was comparable to her; Hyuuga Hinata was a woman all her own. There were many Sakura's and certainly many Ino's around the village just begging to spend the night in his arms, but there was only one Hinata. Sasuke wanted something he really couldn't have, and in retrospect, he had no right to tell her otherwise. He knew that she was heir, and he even agreed for her to take it, but that didn't mean he didn't feel depressed about it.

Sasuke reached out to catch a snowflake in his open palm and looked at it closely. He didn't have much time to observe it as it melted into a droplet. Sasuke decided it was time to go; time to rip off the band-aid to make it quick and painless. He began to walk away from the Hyuuga mansion and down 'their road', which only made it worse. His thoughts carried him back to when they first began to spend time together… back when his district was nothing but crumbled rocks. She stuck with him from the foundation up, and here he was giving up. He angrily tried to think of something better; something more productive like training or how he needed to sharpen his ninja tools.

Snow was beginning to collect in his hair, but it didn't seem to bother him. He stopped walking, and put his hands in the pockets of his robes. Sasuke just listened to the sound of the snow falling and how everything was so quiet. Suddenly he thought he heard something.

"Sasuke-kun!" He turned around to see Hinata sprinting down the road at him, her long kimono dragging in the accumulating show beneath her feet. Surprised, he opened his arms as she leaped into him, her small arms wrapping around his neck loosely. Not even the pain in his wound could stop him from wrapping his arms around her.

"Hinata!" He said as he held her close. Sasuke could feel a small sob coming from her chest as she cried into his shoulder.

"What are you doing here!?" Sasuke said, pulling her back and gripping her shoulders. Strands of hair were falling from her bun and the make-up was beginning to get smeared as tears ran down her porcelain cheeks. He decided that she could look beautiful no matter what she did.

"I…I couldn't do it." She whispered as snowflakes began to land on her hair and eye lashes. Sasuke stared at her dumb founded.

"What? Why!?" Sasuke asked almost angrily. She looked away as if she was embarrassed for her actions. He wasn't sure why he was angry; because she ruined a perfect opportunity to learn a lot or because Hinata actually settled on someone like him.

"I couldn't bear to b-be without you." He wasn't sure if it was the cold or the softness of her voice that sent goose bumps up his arms. Sasuke never would have guessed in a million years that she would have just left an official clan ceremony just for him. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity before Sasuke pulled her back to him. Her arms wrapped around his body as she rested her head on his chest. Hinata, of course, was wary of the wound that he had suffered just a few days before hand.

"You shouldn't have done that," grunted Sasuke. He figured he was on the 'hit list' with Hiashi again and could only imagine the looks Neji would now shoot him, but Sasuke just simply did not care anymore.

"I-It was my choice… I should have realized sooner." Hinata said gently, before pulling back to look up at him. "I love my clan, but…" Her voice trailed off and Sasuke cupped her cheek in his hand just staring into her light eyes. His stomach felt strange like he would burst from the seams in anticipation.

"Well?"

"…I love you more." Sasuke had heard those words 'I love you' before, from his family members and from Sakura. When a family member said it, it wasn't very sentimental because it had always been implied. When Sakura said it, it was loosely based on childish infatuation. When Hinata said those words, it erupted a feeling from the bottom of his toes that seemed to shoot straight to his brain and warmed his cheeks.

"You have no idea, Hyuuga…" Sasuke mumured then leaned down to kiss those lips that he had missed so much. She leaned up on her tippy toes to push into the kiss harder and all the weight of the past few weeks came crashing down. In her mind, the Hyuuga clan would have only suffered with Hinata as a leader; she knew her strengths and her weaknesses. She might still be a child at heart, always looking for the puddles in the rain to dance through. She might even still be too innocent to know that Sasuke was who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but the one phrase that looped in her mind was something her mother told her many years ago: _Happiness often sneaks through a door you did not think was open. _


	19. Epilogue

A huge thanks for reading Rebuilding. It has been so awesome writing this. I receive each and every favorite, follow, and review through my e-mail so it's always very nice to get such great feedback. I know there are plenty of spelling mistakes and probably a few plot holes, but I am pleased with how it ended. I'm already starting to think about my next Naruto fic which will most likely involve SasuHina so if you follow me as an author, expect to see something within the next week or so. (I hope)

Here is the Epilogue, which is short and sweet. Enjoy!

* * *

The air was sweet as it blew all around Uchiha Sasuke. The sun was setting just over the hills and the grass around him was alive with the breeze and various grasshoppers that chased after each other. The large oak tree was a nice support to his back, and the tree branches seemed to sway peacefully above him. His dark eyes watched emotionlessly as a few birds flew in harmony in the sky and his fingers traveled down to grasp the Uchiha pendant that hung on his neck. It was a habit he had formed that whenever he felt lonely or emotional to hold onto it; he could feel his father's chakra swarming within it and it helped soothe anything that might creep up inside his heart.

It was springtime, and he could feel beads of sweat from the warm sun form under the heavy green Jounin vest he wore. His Konoha forehead protector gleamed from the light as he turned his head to watch a rabbit bound through the tall grass with endless energy. Everything was calm, peaceful and now he knew why his mother liked this place so much. He had found the secret place easily after asking around, and it was about four miles north of Konoha.

Now at age 25, Uchiha Sasuke was a well-respected name in the village of the hidden leaves. With a lot of hard work and dedication, he was able to climb the ranks, but Sasuke also wouldn't deny that his best friend, Uzumaki Naruto, had some influence. The former black sheep of the village was now right where he set out to be so many years ago; the Hokage. Sasuke would give him credit where it was due—the guy worked very hard with his internship with Tsunade and his spirit had calmed down quite considerably. Although sometimes when it was just him and Sasuke, the Naruto he knew so well would come out and they would head out to get a bowl (or three) of ramen.

Their friendship was strange, in the fact that they rarely got along. Their views on certain policies were often very different which would cause some heated discussions. Those were normally solved with harmless sparring, but at the end of the day on their way home, Sasuke would shove Naruto as if to say 'hey, you annoy me, but I still tolerate your existence'. Sasuke never had the time for formalities and even as Hokage Naruto never got treated any different. Some of the ninja would gasp at the way Sasuke would talk to the leader of the village, but the two both knew that it was just the way they were.

Sasuke even got offered the job to handle the Chuunin exams, which he turned down, and was ultimately given to Hyuuga Neji. With his smart and tactical ways, they were able to make it not only safer for ninja from around the country, but more specifically skill based. This idea was able to build stronger troops and smarter placement of teams by focusing on Nature Types as well as Kekkei Genkai.

As for Haruno Sakura, she became the head of the hospital and was only sent out on specific missions that would need an advanced healing ninja. She also had a hand in at the Academy teaching the basics of healing to the students. Tsunade always wanted to have at least one medical ninja on teams, so why not have each individual one know at least the basics? A part of this was her idea as well as Nara Shikamaru who had become one of the top teachers at the Academy. Sasuke actually thought that things had become almost _better_ with Naruto as the Hokage. He never knew that there were so many organized ideas in that big head of his, and he had to smirk upon thinking about it.

Due to the limited free time that both had, Sakura and Naruto remained only as close friends with each other. The relationship between Sasuke and Sakura had also somewhat improved as Team Seven seemed to kind of fall back into their old routines: Sasuke acted annoyed (even if he wasn't), Naruto was the center of attention and Sakura scolded both of them on the occasion for over exerting themselves. Even Kakashi was still up and going, doing his missions as if he had never aged. Unlike Sasuke, Kakashi didn't have a problem with taking orders from Naruto.

It was strange how as children, each of the Rookie 9 were just trying to find their footing in life and now here they were with so much success under their belts. Life went by fast, and even with all the mistakes in the world, one could turn out just fine. That's at least what Sasuke told Taro the day he graduated from the Academy. He remembered the look on his face as he proudly strutted in front of his grandfather and Sasuke. With things safer and more organized in the Academy, Taro's mother finally gave in to him becoming a ninja. In fact, there was a lot of peace within the countries, which ultimately led to longer life spans. Still, there were plenty of thugs and rotten apples out there to keep the missions coming in left and right. Sasuke had little complaints though.

Sasuke remembered when his father had many ideas before the Uchiha Clan was wiped out. His mind would always hover over the thoughts of 'what would have happened if they were still alive', and it was sort of a strange bittersweet thing. He missed his family dearly and there wasn't a day that went by where he didn't hold the pendant tight in his hand. Although, each event in his life led up to this exact moment and even though he would never say it aloud, Uchiha Sasuke was happy. He used to think that getting revenge or becoming a strong ninja would create that feeling in the pit of his stomach that he referred to as 'happiness'. Those things never did much expect make him want more and more. At the end of the day, he knew what the good was versus the bad. The pros had never outweighed the cons, so he supposed it should be something he should enjoy.

"Heyyy!" A familiar voice called out to him as he looked ahead. A smile crept on his lips as he got to his feet.

"About time you got here." Sasuke said amusingly as he leaned down to pick up a little boy who was about five years old. His hair was dark blue with the same messy style in the back with long bangs in the front that Sasuke had. His lavender pupils seemed to gleam at Sasuke as he then turned looked behind his shoulder.

"S-Sorry, he kept stopping to pick flowers for me." Sasuke watched Hinata trudge up the hill with an apologetic smile on her lips. She wore a gray dress that came down to her knees with a dark blue cardigan that she pulled closer to her as the wind blew. In her small hand was a homemade bouquet of wild flowers that Sasuke recognized from the pathways that led to their 'secret spot'.

"He must get that from you." Sasuke said as her cheeks went pink. The boy in Sasuke's arms began to squirm.

"Hey, Father, let me wear your pendant!" He said as his small hand grasped it tightly as he leaned up against Sasuke's chest. His childish smile was contagious, but it wasn't enough to win his father over so instead Sasuke frowned and shook his head.

"No, not until you're older, Fugaku." He said and his son began to pout. Of course their child was named after Sasuke's late father and he often wondered if his parents were still watching him. Sometimes at night, he could feel strange presences when they fell asleep. Other times, he'd feel it at the memorial in his district. Even though his dreams had gone away a long time ago, he still felt very connected to his clan. Hinata smiled, and pulled a leaf from Fugaku's hair. Sasuke looked over at her and watched lazily at the way her long hair seemed to dance in the breeze. He liked it, and that vanilla scent he also liked so much crawled up into his nose. _Happiness… _

"How was the walk?" He asked dully, even though he was in a perfectly good mood. Hinata smiled, knowing the way he was.

"Fine. I always enjoy it." She said quietly. Sasuke shrugged before setting down the child. Everyone in the village had been very curious to know which Kekkei Genkai that he had inherited whether it was the legendary Sharingan or the powerful Byakugan. Some records indicate that the Sharingan was thought to of originated from the Byakugan, but there was not much concrete evidence to support that. In the end, Fugaku had his own unique Kekkei Genkai which meshed the Sharingan and Byakugan together.

Since it was the first of its kind, there was no official name for it yet. In fact, Tsunade was very curious about it often asking questions and she even told Hinata that it could be the strongest Kekkei Gankai out there now. Ultimately it came down to an advanced version of the Sharingan that could not only copy and predict, but it had the capability to seek out chakra presences from long distances just like the Byakugan. Instead of the redness of the Sharingan, it was a light purple color just like Hinata's eyes. Sasuke often worried that their son would have troubles with nosy scientists who were eager to uncover more. Time would only tell as he got older and began attending the Academy next year. As for now, he was at the age where he didn't have much to worry about.

"Mother, why did you drag me here?" Fugaku whined gently as he tugged on the hem of her dress. Hinata smiled down at him and ruffled his hair. The ring on her finger sparkled as she knelt down to his level. She smoothed down his shirt and smiled gently.

"It's kind of a tradition, now, I suppose. It's where your father asked me to marry him. Isn't it peaceful here?"

"Mmm, yeah it's okay. Have I ever been here before?" He asked as he looked around. Hinata looked over at Sasuke who looked just as confused.

"I don't think so…" She said, but Fugaku was already at Sasuke's heels tugging on his fingers.

"Hey, Father, Grandpa Hiashi was throwing shurikens during his training today. I wanna try! Please?" He suddenly exclaimed and began to fumble in Sasuke's pack that was attached to his leg. Sasuke frowned at the sudden invasion, but before he could protest, the boy already had one in his hand. _So much for asking, you little shit._

"Ch, be careful with that." He warned, but was curious to see what he could do. Sasuke was all for his son to become a great ninja, but he didn't push it much. His father was always so eager to get Sasuke trained and into the Academy just like his brother. Hinata had experienced the same thing, so they decided there was no rush for Fugaku.

Sasuke's thoughts went back to the stern Hiashi. Ever since Hinata had run out on her ceremony, things had been tense between all three of them. But Hanabi ended up becoming the leader just a few short years later. Of course Sasuke and Hinata's wedding was the first one to be outside of their clan in a very long time so it didn't help the situation with Hiashi who was raised on traditional values. Everything seemed to fit back into place once Fugaku was born and Hiashi had seemingly fallen in love with the boy.

Fugaku stood a few feet away from the oak tree with the shuriken in his hand. Hinata watched amusingly as her hand slid into Sasuke's. He leaned into her a bit as if it was his way of showing affection for the time being. The boy opened his eyes and threw the shuriken which just bounced off the hard bark of the tree. His face fell with disappointment and glanced over at his parents for sympathy. Hinata frowned gently, and walked over to pick up the shuriken.

"Can I show you something?" She asked as she knelt down next to him. He nodded curiously as she held the weapon in her hand for him to see.

"Remember when we were throwing Frisbees with Naruto-sama the other day?" Hinata asked gently and he nodded. "It's the same thing, especially when you have such small hands. Where ever you release it from with this finger, it will aim at." She held up her pointer finger for reference, and then demonstrated with the motions. Fugaku's eyes began to light up with excitement.

"Ohh, okay. Show me!" Hinata's gaze went over to Sasuke, who was watching with a small smirk on his lips. She nodded and stood up. With even more precision than her earlier years, Hinata threw the shuriken at the tree and it lodged itself tightly into the wood. Fugaku looked at his mother with amazement, then back to his father.

"I-I wanna try." He stuttered, something he had gotten from his mother. Sasuke reached into his pack and approached him with another one. Hinata smiled and stood up, giving him some space. Fugaku took a deep breath and did it again, this time taking into account the new advice he'd received. Just like throwing a Frisbee, he released it from his hand. The metal shuriken just barely wedged itself into the wood of the tree underneath Hinata's, but it had at least stuck. He jumped triumphantly.

"I did it!" Fugaku exclaimed and Hinata hid a smile behind her curled fingers. Sasuke smirked and crossed his arms. He remembered the time he taught Hinata how to correct her aim and add more force behind it. She had blossomed into quite the ninja these days, becoming an incredible scout for missions.

"Alright, alright… that's enough for today." Sasuke said which prompted a pout from the little boy. He would never know where Fugaku got so much energy and sass from, but the resemblance between his son and himself as a little boy was striking.

"When do I get to be a ninja like you and Mother?!" He asked tugging on Sasuke's fingers.

"When you start eating all your rice and vegetables." Sasuke scolded lightly and Hinata folded her hands in front of here as their son began to whine about not liking peas or carrots.

"Awww, but Masaru-san doesn't make Taro eat all of his!" He quickly tried to excuse himself, which made Sasuke lift up his son onto his shoulders.

"Yeah, well I'm not the old man so unless you want to become a great ninja and wear my pendant, you'd better start now." He said jokingly. They were all silent for a while, just enjoying the sunset, when Hinata suddenly turned around as if someone had run up at her from behind. Sasuke looked over at her quickly as the breeze whipped around them.

"Hinata." Sasuke said urgently and she closed her eyes for a second. Her veins popped out around her eyes as the Byakugan began searching for anything suspicious. After a few seconds, she turned to look back at them.

"I felt…something strange." Hinata said but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Sasuke frowned and Fugaku tapped on his father's head.

"You didn't see the pretty lady?" He asked all-knowingly. Sasuke's eyes moved upwards at his son in confusion.

"What lady?"

"Hmmm, oh! I _have_ been here before." He went on to say. Sasuke and Hinata were entirely too confused by the ramblings for their five year old. "And that lady is always there. Her hair is long and dark, just like Mother's." Sasuke shot a glance over at Hinata who had a surprised expression. She turned around to look back at where the direction the sudden gust of wind came from and the strange presence she felt. _It was her… I remember that same feeling I got from her._

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as they looked around, and a peaceful feeling settled onto him. Without even thinking, he smiled and closed his eyes. _Mother… Perhaps the genjutsu wasn't completely closed after all. _He looked over at his wife, who reached out to squeeze his hand. Sasuke know knew for a fact that his family still watched over him, but he almost felt like he didn't need them to anymore. He was happy. Hinata had single handedly helped him rebuild his entire life—not just his district. She brought out the best in him, if that was a possibility. And now he had Fugaku to pass down the pendant and keep the Uchiha name alive forever. Yes, Uchiha Sasuke was able to find happiness in the end and much to Orochimaru's disappointment, he got his happy ending.


End file.
